{"id":4,"date":"2025-08-26T14:36:50","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T14:36:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/?page_id=4"},"modified":"2026-07-21T16:46:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T16:46:17","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Community Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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COMMUNITY SCHOOLS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Providing Community Support is the Key to Improving Student Outcomes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Contact Us<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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CHRISTINE CHRISTENSENCommunity Schools Director<\/span><\/i>(385)-646-4436<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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WHAT IS<\/span>
A COMMUNITY SCHOOL<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Community schools are public schools that collaborate with families and community organizations to o\ufb00er well-rounded educational opportunities and essential supports for students\u2019 success.
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At their core, community schools are built upon a foundation of <\/strong>high-quality teaching, o\ufb00ering challenging academic content and fostering students\u2019 mastery of 21st-century skills and competencies.
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What sets community schools apart is the unique combination of four key pillars that create the conditions necessary for students to thrive:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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SUPPORT<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Integrated Systems of Support<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Community schools support the whole child<\/strong> by addressing academic and non-academic needs that impact learning. Integrated student supports include on-site services such as health care, mental health, tutoring,<\/strong> and family resources like language training and food assistance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These supports are tailored to each school community and help improve attendance, behavior, social skills, and academic success.<\/strong> A full-time Community School Coordinator connects students and families to services and helps create a safe, supportive school environment where all students can thrive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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LEARN<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Expanded & Enriched Learning Time & Opportunities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Community schools extend learning beyond the traditional school day to support students\u2019 academic, social, emotional, and physical growth. Through after-school programs, summer learning, and hands-on enrichment<\/strong>, students gain up to one-third more learning time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These opportunities include activities like arts, physical education, tutoring, and STEM projects<\/strong>, designed to deepen learning and build real-world skills. Educators and community partners work together<\/strong> to provide these programs, using both school and neighborhood spaces to reflect local priorities and engage all learners.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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ENGAGE<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Active Family and Community Engagement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Community schools prioritize strong partnerships with families and community members<\/strong>. This engagement builds trust, strengthens the school community, and connects local expertise to student success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schools create welcoming environments<\/strong> and offer meaningful ways for families to participate<\/strong>\u2014from shared decision-making to parent workshops and community events. When families understand academic goals and feel valued, students benefit through improved attendance, behavior, and achievement<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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COLLABORATE<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Collaborative Leadership and Practices<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Collaborative leadership is the foundation that connects all four pillars of a community school. By building a shared vision and shared responsibility<\/strong>, schools tap into the strengths of staff, families, students, and community partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach includes site-based teams, professional learning communities, and partnerships with local organizations<\/strong> to guide decision-making, improve instruction, and coordinate services. Community schools promote inclusive leadership, ensuring all voices contribute to school improvement and student success.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Together, these pillars help ensure that every student in a community school receives the support they need to succeed academically and in life.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

WHY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Community schools are a powerful strategy for supporting student success by addressing the barriers that can interfere with learning. All children and families deserve access to the resources, opportunities, and supports that promote strong academic growth and healthy development. Community schools help ensure that every student\u2014regardless of background\u2014has what they need to thrive in school and in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By focusing on the whole child, community schools recognize that academic achievement is closely connected to students\u2019 physical health, emotional regulation, and social skills. These schools provide wraparound supports that meet students\u2019 diverse need\u2014offering access to tutoring, health care, vision, dental care, afterschool enrichment, and family services all in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through strong partnerships with local nonprofits, businesses, and cultural institutions, community schools bring expanded learning opportunities and essential services directly into the school setting. This approach helps create safe, supportive environments where students can grow academically, socially, and emotionally, setting them up for long-term success.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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View all Community Schools<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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MEET OUR<\/span>
AMAZING TEAM<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Directory<\/div>
Christine Christensen<\/a><\/span>Community Schools Director<\/span><\/i>(385)-646-4436<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Sabrena Koehler<\/a><\/span>Administrative Assistant<\/span><\/i>(385) 646-7416<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Secondary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Directory<\/div>
Kyndal White<\/a><\/span>Community Schools Coordinator<\/span>Kearns Network<\/span><\/i>(385)-646-8797<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Rhiannon Longstaff<\/a><\/span>Community Schools Coordinator<\/span>Cottonwood High School<\/span><\/i>(385) 646-9738<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Maren Tenney<\/a><\/span>Community Schools Coordinator<\/span>Granite Park Jr. High<\/span><\/i>(385) 646-8159<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Elementary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Natalie Pulsipher<\/a><\/span>Community Schools Coordinator<\/span>James E. Moss Elementary<\/span><\/i>(385) 646-1089<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Marci Bseiso<\/a><\/span>Community Schools Coordinator<\/span>Woodrow Wilson Elementary<\/span><\/i>(385) 646-9518<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Erick Metzger<\/a><\/span>Community Schools Coordinator<\/span>Olene Walker Elementary<\/span><\/i>(385) 646-8744<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Jenny Smith<\/a><\/span>Community Schools Coordinator<\/span>Lincoln Elementary<\/span><\/i>(385) 646-8762<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS Providing Community Support is the Key to Improving Student Outcomes Contact Us SUPPORT Integrated Systems of Support Community schools support the whole child by addressing academic and non-academic needs that impact learning. Integrated student supports include on-site services such as health care, mental health, tutoring, and family resources like language training and food […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template_full_width_no_sidebar.php","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_gsd_hide_title":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":217,"href":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4\/revisions\/217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.graniteschools.org\/community-school\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}