Building School Communities Where Families Thrive

San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gloria E. Ciriza was recently published in the fourth edition of the School News Roll Call, which features messages from school district superintendents across San Diego County. Below is Ciriza's full article reproduced with permission from the publisher. 

One thing that’s become clear these past few years is that schools really are the heart of the community. They are an important space for students, families, and community members to access resources and support beyond the traditional school day.

There’s an effort across the state and our county to increase belonging through community schools, where students have what they need to learn; families are partners and have what they need to thrive; and communities benefit from stronger, healthier, more connected citizens who care about one another.

The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is leading an effort to assist existing and emerging community schools across Southern California with building their partnerships and plan for success.

Leading Regional Efforts

Designated by the State Board of Education, SDCOE with Orange County Department of Education, Imperial County Office of Education, and Community Schools Learning Exchange make up one of eight regional technical assistance centers for community schools.

SDCOE’s work includes coordinating services across child-serving agencies, municipalities, governmental entities, and schools. In a partnership that’s unique across the state, SDCOE and the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency have committed to a unified approach to build communities with healthy, safe, and thriving families.

This partnership leverages our joint expertise and expands our reach to have a greater impact. This past year, hundreds of school staff members have attended regional summits across the county connecting existing services to the unique needs of each community.

The San Diego County Grand Jury in a recent report commended SDCOE and several districts and charter schools for their collective efforts to establish and develop community schools.

After interviewing school district leaders about community schools and issues affecting students experiencing homelessness, as well as touring schools, the grand jury found that the San Diego County education community supports community schools and encouraged SDCOE to continue its efforts to establish and support community schools in the region.

Through this work, we envision the possibility of every school in each neighborhood to become hubs in the community where children and families feel seen, heard, and valued.

Focus on Belonging

SDCOE has set a bold goal of decreasing the number of families experiencing poverty. A cornerstone of this effort is transformational teaching and learning in community schools.

This transformational teaching and learning includes establishing a connection between classroom learning and real-world applications and careers. The SDCOE Linda Vista Innovation Center features multiple lab experiences where students from schools across the county can explore, create, and learn with hands-on interactive projects.

Students have an opportunity to learn and try their hand at podcasting, design thinking, laser engraving, LED lighting, 3D printing, coding, and robotics. They learn about related career opportunities in high-priority work sectors in San Diego County and begin to plan and dream based on their strengths and interests.

SDCOE is also focused on creating a culture of belonging both for our own staff and the students we serve in our SDCOE programs. We serve our county’s most vulnerable students, including those experiencing homelessness, foster youth, wards of the court or referred by social services, probation, or one of the county’s 42 school districts.

That’s why we’re actively working to identify and address barriers to success for all students. We’re prioritizing initiatives and programs that create belonging for our most marginalized students and adjusting practices and systems to ensure that our students feel valued, and see their value in the community.

Belonging is more than inclusion; it’s having a seat at the table where needs and solutions are discussed and determined together. It’s going to take the entire community coming alongside schools to lift up our students in unity and ensure they have a solid foundation to succeed in school and in life.

We are stronger together, and the next generation is counting on us.