Wraparound zone

You can find the backup here.
Boone: address the services that are needed for wraparound
when children and families need support outside of the school setting

"to systematically address students' non-academic barriers to learning"
directing families and students to the services they need in the community
run at seven schools: first ones funded through Race to the Top
Burncoat Prep's is funded through Title I
how to address students' needs that are not learning needs
initial innovation schools and Level 4 schools
"manage the community assets to link them to children and families"
liaison to health and human services in the community to create a stronger connection
support school based teams to support student needs
Rodrigues: turns it over to Jennings
Jennings (citywide wraparound zone coordinator):
relationships and partnerships in the community
school leaders willing to say that we can do this alone
both internal and external supports (some in the system, some outside the school system)
align the efforts to make it convenient for parents and students
helping out doesn't help unless it aligns with the resources the school needs
"not a stand alone group"
getting students to "ready to learn"; removing the things that keep them from learning
best way was to work with the teams that were doing good work in the schools
academic is always the key for us
identify and address student needs
"deeper and more involved the parents are in the child's learning, the better it is for the student"
Insight system from Houghton Mufflin: did not fit with how we worked with students in Worcester
designed own system within that to fit better
focus was to check in and check out with students
systems within the school to identify and have results for them
identify needs such as homelessness, violence, nutrition, medical care, illness, substance abuse, transportation
Rodrigues: focus on four needs:

• climate and culture: preliminary evidence of increasing student and staff attendance and decline in office referrals
• identifying student needs:data vehicles to find students with needs; ongoing monitoring of student academic and non-academic needs
• community coalition: access point for community services and partners; network of support services
• district systems of support: link of the wraparound coordinators and the district

Lessons learned: many services needed, just needed coordination; need to train staff in out of school factors that affect learning; sustaining partnerships takes collaboration; need agreed-upon standards and procedures; community needs to know who they get in touch with

2 1/2 years in in implementation

lessons learned and how can we apply these lessons to schools without wraparound coordinators

O'Connell: practical question: largely funded through grants

resources may well not be available; prioritizing these positions?

Boone: what are the sustainability efforts with federal grants?

will be giving recommendations on this for budget

"in throes of figuring out what survives this budget and what doesn't"

O'Connell: what can we do without funding?

Rodrigues: yes, in an informal capacity, we've been figuring that out

Foley: have seen impact of the wraparound coordinators

principals overwhelmed by the non-academic issues at school

asks Morse "what might be the one or two non-academic areas that have been most effective" in being addressed by wraparound zone coordinator?

Morse: numerous issues address

"I don't think there can be turnaround without wraparound"

homelessness, fires, mental health issues

meet hours

"critical to the progress we have made"

"help cut through red tape to get students service immediately"

"transformed the way that I work"

"many things our kids overcome daily"

Monfredo: have attended statewide meetings about wraparound zone

"one particular thing"

Morse: school has become the first place parents stop for help and advice

"parents need help advocating systems"

trusting genuine relationships help families grow

overwhelmed principals having to work on non-academic areas have given up something

Jennings: empowering parents, evolved to parent leadership

Novick: need more specific data

How many kids, how many families

homes found, medical care found

stabilitiy for the whole community 

becomes a broader conversation not just around our needs and budget, but the community needs and budget

Biancheria: numbers, data

data by end of April