WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) passed a bipartisan resolution to designate the week of September 20 through September 24, 2021, as “Community School Coordinators Appreciation Week.”

Community schools are public schools that provide integrated student supports, well-designed and expanded learning opportunities, active family and community engagement, and collaborative leadership and practices. The resolution recognizes the role community school coordinators have in building and strengthening successful community schools and highlights the resiliency and impact of community school coordinators in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Community schools offer opportunities for many students in West Virginia, which are helping them to achieve success,” Senator Capito said. “Community coordinators are an essential element of that success, and I am incredibly appreciative for the work they do. This resolution is one way we can thank them for their hard work and dedication.”

“Community schools offer unique opportunities to students in Ohio and across the country,” Senator Brown said. “They make a real difference in the lives of students and their families. Now more than ever, we must support our communities by investing in our public schools and helping them provide necessary financial, healthcare, and educational support to community schools serving children and families most affected by the pandemic.”

Along with Senators Capito and Brown, the resolution was also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.).

Community schools are public schools that provide integrated student supports, such as counseling, medical and dental, and transportation services, and are associated with improving student outcomes in areas such as attendance, social and emotional functioning, and academic achievement. Community school coordinators work with the community and non-profits to identify and source additional resources to benefit students and their families.

Full text of the resolution is available here. 

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