Community Engagement

REACH! Partnership High School

Community Engagement …

REACH! Partnership High School is a Community School! We are a school that has a set of strategic partnerships among community resources that promote student achievement, positive conditions for learning and the wellbeing of our families and surrounding communities. Through the work of community–based partners, we leverage unique community resources to meet community needs and maintain a core focus on our students, while recognizing that children grow up in families, and that families are integral parts of communities. This integrated approach will lead to student success, strong families, and healthy communities.

Community School Coordinator

Tia Bryant

Email

tbryant@bcps.k12.md.us

Family & Community Engagement

Family and community engagement is a collaborative process that involves schools, families, and communities working together to support students’ learning and development. It’s a key strategy for improving students’ academic and social-emotional outcomes.

· Building relationships: Building trust and mutual understanding with families through home visits, community walks, and class meetings

  • Involving families in decision-making: Encouraging families to be part of school planning and decision-making
  • Sharing strategies: Developing and sharing strategies for supporting student success
  • Providing resources: Developing and sharing materials to support parental involvement.

Some programs that REACH offers to support family and community engagement include: PTSO, Volunteer program, Student Service Learning, SFC, Parent Workshops, Family Engagement Activities.

Volunteer Program

All potential volunteers, whether they be family, or community members, must complete the volunteer application and participate in an orientation/training session annually beginning on July 1st. All volunteer training expires on June 30th. Please see the Community School Coordinator for more information.

Goals of the P.I.A. Volunteer Program

  • Expand parental involvement and engagement strategies to meet the unique needs of all families in the school communities.
  • Acknowledge parents and community members as important partners in the education of all students.
  • Strengthen the relationship between schools and parents, guardians and community stakeholders through meaningful service opportunities.
  • Support teachers and staff with the implementation of curriculum and school programs.
  • Utilize the knowledge and skills of volunteers to promote student achievement.
  • Offer direct support to students needing additional assistance with assigned tasks.
  • Assist school staff and students with extra-curricular activities, afterschool programs and fundraising opportunities.
  • Provide supervision and direction for students while participating in off-campus learning experiences (field trips).

Types of Volunteer Activities

  • Classroom Assistant – assisting teachers and students with classroom[s] activities
  • Academic Tutoring
  • School PTSO
  • Area Education Advisory Councils
  • Field-trip Chaperone
  • After School Activities
  • Student Mentoring
  • Career Awareness – speaking to students about career pathways and opportunities
  • Clerical/Office
What is the PTSO?

PTSO stands for Parent Teacher Student Organization. The mission of the PTSO is to make every child’s potential a reality.

Purpose

  • Powerful voice for all children.
  • Relevant resource for families and communities.
  • Strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child.
  • Serve as a type of forum where parents, teachers, administrators, and other concerned adults discuss ways to promote quality education, strive to expand the arts, encourage community involvement, and work for a healthy environment and safe neighborhoods.

Involvement

  • Join the Parent Panther Pride Team
  • Attend Meetings.
  • Volunteer to support SFC (School Family Council) and family engagement activities.

Importance

  • Regular updates on school activities and policies.
  • Access to teachers and administrators at your child’s school.
  • Access to parents of other children at the school.
  • A forum to discuss concerns and problems at school.
  • Access to resources on parenting, education, and more!
  • Appreciation from teachers for all your help.
  • Education about school policies, state funding, and other issues concerning our school.

Our PTSO meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of every quarter at 5:30 pm.

Student Service Learning

In Maryland, all high school students must complete 75 hours of service learning to graduate. Service learning helps students apply their classroom knowledge to real-world issues.

Parent Workshops

Parent workshops at REACH can help parents learn how to support their children’s education and development. They can also help parents build a better understanding of their child’s behavior and communication styles.

Family Engagement Activities

Family engagement activities can help build trust and strong partnerships between parents and educators. Family engagement activities can help to increase the overall level of involvement among families. This can include participation in school events, volunteering, and decision-making processes.

Purpose

Family engagement activities can have many purposes, including

  • Building relationships
  • Improving student performance
  • Creating a high-quality learning environment
  • Helping parents support their children
  • Addressing student challenges
  • Communicating with families
  • Leveraging the parent community

Our family engagement activities are held monthly on Thursdays at 5:30 pm.

school hours

M-F: 8:45 – 3:35pm

Address

2555 Harford Rd,
Baltimore MD 21218

Office Hours: 

By appointment only

Phone

(443) 642-2291