C.A. Weis Elementary, A Community Partnership School in Pensacola advanced from an F rating to a C rating in just one year. Studies show that school ratings can affect the community at large including property values, local health and overall economy.
Last year, Weis was one of 11 elementary schools in Escambia County rated a D or lower. This was a key factor that led to the implementation of the Community Partnership School model at Weis in January 2016.
The first of its kind in the Panhandle, the Community Partnership School is a long-term commitment among Children’s Home Society of Florida, the University of West Florida and Escambia Community Clinics and Escambia County School District to build bridges to that help students overcome significant barriers to learning, from access to health care to economic instability.
Focused on meeting needs identified by parents and teachers, the Community Partnership School began providing parent resources and targeted enrichment programs along with on-site health care and counseling. Collectively, these efforts are reshaping the way children learn and increasing parental involvement.
In addition to the improved rating, the Community Partnership School has increased access to health care, family education, after-school activities and more.
“The Escambia County School District is proud of the impact the Community Partnership School model is making at C.A. Weis,” said Escambia County School District Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “By implementing community solutions into every day learning, we’re seeing measurable success. We’re grateful to all of our partners for their support to provide comprehensive services for the students, their families and our community.
C.A. Weis Principal, Holly Magee said, “While we still have significant work to do, the progress we have made so far demonstrates the collective efforts of our faculty, Community Partnership School partners, community members, and our students and their families.”
