Synergy between Paradise Valley USD 21st Century Learning Centers Grant Programs & School Connect
In April 2017, Paradise Valley (PV) Schools established their own School Connect CAFE. A CAFE, or Community and Family Engagement event, is hosted by a school district to invite community partners to engage in schools in their district. School Connect CAFE’s are an excellent way to promote sustainability in 21st Century Community Learning Grant Programs. The partnerships that are established can prove vital for a school and sustainability of programs at the school. Faith based organizations can provide much needed volunteers to assist with afterschool programming as well as congregants willing to donate tax credit dollars. Business partners can help fund projects or supplies and provide mentor-ship opportunities in the after school programs. They can also be a great source of programming ideas and vendor connections.
Paradise Valley brought together 10 PV Schools, over 20 Faith based and business organizations and district administrators to meet and discuss ways our schools and communities can work together. Our vision was to bridge the gap and empower the children in our communities! In the two years since the CAFE model has begun, the partners in PV Schools have already provided assistance in the following areas; garden maintenance, supply donations, tax credit donations, painting, cleaning, cabinetry, and food/clothing drives.
One such partnership is our connection with Blue Orthodontics, a local business in the PV Schools community. They are visible at several of the PV Schools providing everything from meals and supplies to our sports teams at the High Schools, volunteers at community events, field day t-shirts, bounce houses for our Academic rewards party, and food for our teachers during Parent/Teacher conferences and teacher appreciation week. Their willingness to be there and lend a hand where needed has helped support 6 schools in our district.
This year we expanded our CAFE model to include another section of our school district and in September 2018 they started their first CAFE. The hope is to have all PV Schools participating in the CAFE model by 2020.
We continue to work with our community partners each year as we plan events and programming at our schools. On Love Our Schools Day each fall we bring together our community partners and our families so that the families can appreciate the time and effort our wonderful volunteers contribute. This year, Campo Bello Elementary school is being rebuilt and our School Connect partners will be assisting with the cleaning, packing and purging of our old school as we prepare to leave the old buildings and move into our new ones in August 2019.
Video Link: https://vimeo.com/312450816
Contact Information: Paradise Valley Unified School District 15002 N. 32nd Street Phoenix, AZ 85032
Tami Taylor 21st Century Community Learning Center Lead Site Coordinator (602) 449-5215
PVSchools with 21st CCLC Grants: Cactus View Elementary - Site Coordinator - Anita Rincon Campo Bello Elementary - Site Coordinator - Tami Taylor Indian Bend Elementary - Site Coordinator - Ashley Hanson North Canyon High School - Site Coordinator - Lisa Sanchez Alvarez Palomino Intermediate School - Site Coordinator - Lisa Sanchez Alvarez Palomino Primary School - Site Coordinator - Ashley Hanson Sunset Canyon Elementary - Site Coordinator - Maureen Yaneck
