Independence High School
Community Schools Grant Implementation
Embedded Files
Kern High School District's Vision of Community Schools:
A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between all educational partners (staff, students, families, and community) to improve student outcomes, strengthen families, and create healthier and more engaged communities.
What is a Community School?
What is a Community School?
A community school is a “whole-child” school improvement strategy where the district and school work closely with teachers, students, and families. Community schools partner with community agencies and local government to align community resources to improve student outcomes.
Independence High School became a California Community School Partnership Program grant recipient in 2024. This grant establishes the school site to act as the center of the community where students, staff, & families are connected to work together to eliminate barriers.
The community addresses the needs of the “whole student” and their families so that all students can thrive and allow ALL students to graduate from high school prepared to succeed in the workplace and at the post-secondary level.
The Four Pillars of Community Schools:
Integrated Student Supports: To help students succeed by meeting their academic, physical, social-emotional, and mental health needs.
Example: Partnership with a local mobile medical unit to provide wellness checks and physicals to students and family members.
Expanded & Enriched Learning Time and Opportunities: Academic Support and Real-World educational experiences
Example: Partnership with a local youth organization that focuses on career readiness and youth internships.
Active Family and Community Engagement: Actively tapping the expertise and knowledge of family and community members.
Example: Community events, community listening forums, English as a second language classes, etc.
Collaborative Leadership & Practices: Establish a culture of professional learning, collective trust, and shared responsibility in a manner that includes students, families, and community members.
Example: School Site Council, Booster meetings, parent leadership opportunities, Peer Leaders Uniting Students (PLUS).
What the research says about community schools:
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