Since August 2025, Community School coordinators across our region have been gathering monthly in a vibrant and growing Community of Practice (CoP)—a collaborative space designed to strengthen implementation efforts, deepen learning, and build meaningful connections across school communities.
This work began with a powerful two-day onboarding in August, where district teams and coordinators came together to explore the history and purpose of Community Schools and prepare for launching the initiative within their local contexts. That momentum has carried into the school year through monthly, research-aligned sessions that guide coordinators step-by-step through the Community School Implementation Benchmarks.
Each gathering builds on the last, intentionally designed to support transformative schoolwide change. The benchmark learning arc includes:
- Grounding in Community Schools Best Practices
- Developing Collaborative Leadership Structures
- Mapping School and Community Ecosystems
- Planning a Needs and Assets Assessment
- Conducting a Needs and Assets Assessment
- Using Data to Identify Priorities
- Telling Our Story of Community Schools
To date, our CoP has explored:
- Grounding in best practices
- Collaborative leadership
- School and community mapping
- Needs and assets assessment planning and development
Participants are not only expanding their expertise—they also gain high-value tools, templates, data resources, and peer connections that support the real-time challenges and opportunities of coordinating Community Schools. Many coordinators have also shared that this space has become a trusted network for problem-solving, inspiration, and professional growth.
You can access the Attendee Homebase - Coordinators CoP 2025-26 to view session deliverables, such as the slide deck, note catchers, readings and resources specific to the topics discussed.
As we look ahead to the new calendar year, we are energized by the collective progress and the shared vision for community-centered schools across our region. If you are a Community School coordinator and would like to join this Community of Practice, we’d love to welcome you. To learn more and register, visit the SC R-TAC website.
