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Community Schools

About Community Schools

Eureka City Schools CCSPP

Implementation Plan Cohorts 1 & 2

OVERVIEW

A community school is a "Whole-Child" school improvement strategy where the local educational agency and schools work closely with teachers, students, and families. Community Schools partner with community agencies and local government to align community resources to improve student outcomes.

VISION 

ECS Community Schools support schools as hubs of health and learning that promote the interconnected relationships of children, families, and community partners. 

These relationships are honored by building partnerships and culturally responsive supports that care for each students:

  • Social and emotional well-being
  • Physical and mental health
  • Academic achievement

Building awareness and responsiveness to the cultural richness of our ECS community, child and family-centered partnerships are formed to honor the strength of families, schools, and the greater Eureka community. 

This is achieved by providing culturally responsive, evidence-based teaching practices and support for all students and staff, with value placed on social-emotional learning and restorative practices, meeting the whole-child needs of every ECS student.

GOALS

  1. Improve student attendance to increase student academic achievement. As per the CA School Dashboard 22/23 data,  34.1 %of ECS students struggle with chronic absenteeism and the barriers that prohibit students from attending school. Thus,  at each school site, chronic absenteeism will be addressed. These actions include:
  • Hiring and training of a Community School’s Liaison at each school site. Community school liaisons will work in partnership with site social workers to address 4 Pillars of Community Schools. 
  • The Community Schools Liaison role will include:
    •  Attend weekly site MTSS meetings to identify and ameliorate barriers to student success utilizing site social worker to identify actions including:
      •  parent contact, home visits, establishing community partnerships to provide family support 
    • Utilize the Check and Connect student engagement model to support identified McKinney Vento students at each school site and submit weekly attendance reports to the LEA McKinney Vento youth coordinator
    • Coordinate with Community Partners to increase student health and well-being outcomes
  1. Increase student and family sense of belonging to increase social and emotional well-being and increase health outcomes.  Using the data from the 22/23 LCAP the following measures will be utilized to measure connectedness and belonging:
  • California Healthy Kids Survey Connectedness- Students who feel connected to at least one caring adult at their school. 
    • 2021-2022 CHKS results:
      • Elementary: 67% 
      • Secondary: 
        • Grade 7: 52%
        • Grade 9: 51%
        • Grade 11: 62% 
      • Non-Traditional: 66%
    • 2022-2023 CHKS results:
      • Elementary: 59%  (-8%)
      • Secondary: 
        • Grade 7: 48 %   (-4%)
        • Grade 9: 58%    (+7%)
        • Grade 11: 65% (+3%)
      • Non-Traditional: 66%
  • LCAP Student Survey 
    • 2021-2022 LCAP Student Survey result: 
      • All Students 88.1% (979 out of 1,111) 

These actions include:

  • Writing and distribution of a monthly Community Schools Newsletter in both English and Spanish that focuses on the 4 Pillars of Community Schools
  • Coordinate with site principals to increase family engagement attendance through quarterly site events that are student and family-generated, monthly PTA, ELAC, and Site Council meetings
  • Develop site Community School Advisory Council teams that are governed through the School Site Council. 
  • Implement district-wide Empathy Interviews
  • Develop student-led student leadership opportunities through the development of student-generated and led clubs and activities that center community partnership and participation 
  • Implementation of district-wide Universal SEL Screeners for TK-12th grade students. Social Workers/MTSS teams at each site will analyze data to determine individual/group needs and implement support 
  • In collaboration with the ECS Wellness Center Coordinator and 2 Federal Mental Health Grants, Development of Well Space/Wellie Space at each TK-12th grade school site to provide student-centered Well Space at each TK-12 grade campus. 
  • Hiring of Community Schools Organizer to coordinate Community Partnerships with local county, city, and non-profit agencies to coordinate district and site partnerships to align with LCAP and CCSPP Initiatives
  1. Improve academic outcomes for student groups, as ECS is eligible for Differentiated Assistance (DA) Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI)- the same student group(s) are in the lowest performance category in at least two different LCFF priority areas. ECS Community Schools will provide culturally responsive, evidence-based practices and support for all students and staff, with value placed on social-emotional learning (SEL) and restorative practices.

 Data from the 13 CA Dashboard student groups:

  • African American
  • American Indian
  • Asian
  • English Learners
  • Filipino
  • Foster Youth
  • Hispanic
  • Homeless
  • Pacific Islanders
  • Socioeconomically Disadvantaged
  • Students with Disabilities
  • Two or More Races
  • White

 These actions include:

  • Establishment of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Teams at each School Site
  • Establish Beyond Student Study Teams model district-wide
  • Re-launch of Positive Behavior Interventions and Support district-wide
  • Hiring and training of Restorative Practices Support Specialists at each site whose job will include:
    • Providing Community Building Restorative Circles and Restorative Conversations both in and out of the classroom
    • Responding to teacher request for Tier 2 classroom support for individual students
    • Providing restorative support at school on playgrounds, during student recess, and during non-classroom time
    • Coordinating with site administrators to provide support to identified classrooms 
    • At the direction of the site principal, collaborating restoratively with students and families 
  • Hire a highly-skilled Teacher on Special Assignment to support site-identified Tk-8th grade teachers with Social Emotional Learning 1-1 training and support
  • Identify and engage with Community Partners to increase culturally responsive, evidenced-based practices including opportunities with an emphasis on extended learning time and opportunities 
  • Implement Trauma-Informed School Practices at all Tk-12 grade classrooms in the district. These practices include:
    • Break Space available in every classroom for every student
    • Recovery Space is available in every “buddy” classroom for every student to self-select to take a break in another classroom for a ‘re-set’
    • Well Space/Wellie Space/Calm Room breaks are available to every TK-12th grade student at every school as either a student or teacher-requested Tier 2  intervention 

5 Year Work Plan

2023-2024 School Year 1 of 5

  1. Implement CCSPP at school sites through effective strategies and action plans, and ensure timely submission of all CDE reports to the state.
    • Provide progress monitoring in each goal area 
    • Gather feedback from educational partners (parents, staff, students), analyze data, and make necessary updates to enhance the implementation process. 
    • Present to communal governing boards including Eureka City School Board, Community Schools Advisory Council, Eureka City Council, and Eureka Chamber of Commerce
    • Regularly communicate with school and district Steering committees, and provide updates to educational partners to keep them informed about the progress and developments of the work.

2024-2025 School Year 2 of 5

  1. Implement CCSPP at school sites through effective strategies and action plans, and ensure timely submission of all CDE reports to the state.
     
    • Provide progress monitoring in each goal area 
    • Gather feedback from educational partners, analyze data, and make necessary updates to enhance the implementation process. 
    • Regularly communicate with school and district School Board and Site Councils, and provide updates to educational partners to keep them informed about the progress and developments of the work.

2025-2026 School Year 3 of 5

  1. Implement CCSPP at school sites through effective strategies and action plans, and ensure timely submission of all CDE reports to the state.
  • Provide progress monitoring in each goal area 
  • Gather feedback from educational partners, analyze data, and make necessary updates to enhance the implementation process. 
  • Regularly communicate with school and district committees, and provide updates to educational partners to keep them informed about the progress and developments of the work.

2026-2027 School Year 4 of 5

  1. Implement CCSPP at school sites through effective strategies and action plans, and ensure timely submission of all CDE reports to the state.
  • Provide progress monitoring in each goal area 
  • Gather feedback from educational partners, analyze data, and make necessary updates to enhance the implementation process. 
  • Regularly communicate with school and district committees, and provide updates to educational partners to keep them informed about the progress and developments of the work.

2027-2028 School Year 5 of 5

  1. Implement CCSPP at school sites through effective strategies and action plans, and ensure timely submission of all CDE reports to the state.
  • Provide progress monitoring in each goal area 
  • Gather feedback from educational partners, analyze data, and make necessary updates to enhance the implementation process. 
  • Regularly communicate with school and district committees, and provide updates to educational partners to keep them informed about the progress and developments of the work.

Learn more about Community Schools at ECS

Upcoming Advisory Council

Join Us for the Community Schools Advisory Council!
Parents, community members, and school staff are invited to our quarterly district-wide Community Schools Advisory Council meetings. This is a great opportunity to share your voice, learn about current initiatives, and work together to support students and families. Your input helps shape our programs and goals, so come be part of the conversation! Breakfast will be provided by Ramones. 

Upcoming Dates:
September 11, 2026

December 4, 2026

March 5, 2027

June 7, 2027

Meetings are held at Zoe Barnum High School from 8:30-11:30 am. 
216 W Harris St, Eureka, CA 95501
 

Questions? Email Community Schools Support Assistant Tandi Jacob
✉ Jacobt@eurekacityschools.org

Our Progress

After receiving the CCSPP Grant, ECS conducted surveys at Alice Birney, Grant, and Lafayette to identify the supports most valued by students and families.

Highlights from 2024–2025:
Every ECS site now has a Community Schools Liaison
Each site has access to a Restorative Practices Support Specialist

Looking Ahead to 2025–2026:

  • Expansion of partnerships with community organizations

  • Continued focus on equity, inclusion, and student well-being

  • Ongoing opportunities for families to share input and help shape services

Schools

Community School programs are available across ECS. Current sites include:

  • Alice Birney Elementary

  • Grant Elementary

  • Lafayette Elementary

  • Washington Elementary

  • Winship Middle School

  • Zane Middle School

  • Eureka High School

  • Zoe Barnum

View All Schools

Contact Us

Community Schools Director - Ronda Evans
(707) 441-2400 Ext. 1938
✉ evansronda@eurekacityschools.org