Vancouver Public Schools’ Family-Community Resource Center model will be featured at the Education Week 2017 Leaders to Learn From conference March 30 and 31 in Washington, D.C. Superintendent Steve Webb, Chief of Staff Tom Hagley and Family-Community Resource Center Director Tamara Shoup will present two EdTalk sessions on the district’s community schools focus and work to support families and remove barriers to learning.
Education Week, America’s newspaper and website of record for K-12 education, named Webb and Hagley two of 13 U.S. Leaders to Learn From in 2016 for their vision and leadership in developing the district’s 18 school-based Family-Community Resource Centers and mobile-FCRC.
More than 200 attendees from every area of public education are expected to attend the conference. The Leaders to Learn From award and conference recognize educators who are inspiring positive change for their students and allow educational leaders from across the country to share best practices.
Through VPS’ FCRCs, dedicated coordinators at the 18 sites provide or facilitate access to family engagement activities and resources; homework help; medical, dental and housing referrals; early-childhood opportunities; after-school programs; food and clothing assistance; and other support for families at every district school.
“We’re honored to share Vancouver’s community schools model with our colleagues nationally and to learn from others as part of our ongoing efforts to prepare future-ready graduates,” said Webb.
This is the latest of recognitions for VPS’ leadership related to its FCRC model. The mobile FCRC recently earned the district a 2017 Grand Prize Magna Award, given by the National School Boards Association. VPS also received a Magna Award in 2015 for its back-to-school-readiness festival coordinated by FCRC staff members.
In 2016, Webb received the Coalition for Community Schools Superintendent Leadership Award, and Hagley received the Most Effective Administrator Award from the Washington Association of School Administrators. In 2014, Vancouver Public Schools’ FCRCs were honored with an inaugural District of Distinction award from District Administration magazine.