Community Schools
Bear Valley Unified School District
Community Schools: Whole Child. Whole Community.
What is a Community School?
A Community School, as defined by the California Community Schools Partnership Program, uses a whole-child approach that integrates academics, health and social services, youth development, and family and community engagement. In a Community School, educators, families, and community partners work together to create safe, supportive environments where students have what they need to learn, families are valued as partners, and communities grow stronger.
This whole child approach supports not only academic success, but also students’ social emotional, physical, and mental well being. Schools respond to real needs such as food, health services, and additional learning support, ensuring students are supported holistically. Community Schools also serve as hubs for their communities, bringing together resources and partnerships to remove barriers and expand opportunities. This work is asset driven, rooted in shared decision making, and strengthened through continuous improvement.
BVUSD Community Schools Facts:
Most Community Schools operate in communities where students and families face barriers related to access, opportunity, and resources. In Bear Valley Unified School District (BVUSD), our Community Schools work is grounded in understanding and responding to the unique needs of our mountain communities.
The BVUSD Community Schools initiative, supported through the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) in collaboration with the California Department of Education, is focused on strengthening and expanding supports across our district.
BVUSD proudly considers all of our schools to be Community Schools, implementing the Community Schools Framework through a whole-child approach that emphasizes integrated student supports, family and community engagement, collaborative leadership, and expanded learning opportunities.
Our district schools include:
Baldwin Lane Elementary School
North Shore Elementary School
Fallsvale School
Big Bear Middle School
Big Bear High School
Chautauqua High School
Together, these schools serve approximately 2,148 students across our mountain community, including English Learners and students who benefit from additional academic, social-emotional, and family support.
While North Shore Elementary School, Big Bear Middle School, and Big Bear High School currently receive funding through the California Community Schools Partnership Program, BVUSD has embraced the Community Schools Framework districtwide. Across all schools, we are committed to strengthening existing programs, expanding partnerships, and developing new services based on the identified needs and assets of our students, families, staff, and community.
Through this work, BVUSD continues to build strong family partnerships, align community resources, and ensure every student has equitable access to the opportunities and supports they need to thrive.
BVUSD Community Schools Implementation Plans:
California’s Community School framework is guided by four pillars, four cornerstone commitments, four key conditions of learning and four proven practices:
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The CCSPP Framework leans heavily on the four established pillars of the community schools movement. Current statute regarding the CCSPP aligns well with the research. Specifically, community schools are defined in statute as public schools with “strong and intentional community partnerships ensuring pupil learning and whole child and family development,” including the following features.
- Integrated Student Supports
- Family and Community Engagement
- Collaborative Leadership and Practices
- Extended Learning Time and Opportunities
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To strengthen their core instructional programs and achieve school transformation, today’s community schools are guided by the emerging consensus on the ‘science of learning and development’ (SoLD) which synthesizes a wide range of educational research findings regarding well-vetted strategies that support the kinds of relationships and learning opportunities needed to promote children’s well-being, healthy development, and transferable learning into a developmental systems framework.
These key conditions for learning provide the foundation for the four pillars described above. The SoLD framework posits that the following are necessary for student learning and development:
- Supportive Environmental Conditions
- Productive Instructional Strategies
- Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
- System of Supports
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While recognizing and appreciating the vast diversity of our state in every way, the CCSPP is an explicitly equity driven initiative in statute, principle, and practice. As such this Framework also identifies the following four commitments as essential components to all California community schools. These commitments are aligned with consistent themes expressed in the initial phase of our community engagement process.
- A Commitment to Assets-Driven & Strengths-Based Practice
- A Commitment to Racially Just and Restorative School Climates
- A Commitment to Powerful, Culturally Proficient and Relevant Instruction
- A Commitment to Shared Decision-Making and Participatory Practices
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As school districts and school sites have implemented versions of community school approaches across the nation, there are an array of approaches and practices that have been successful in diverse communities and school sites.
California community schools should both attend to research and listen to interest holder voices to confirm appropriate best practices rooted in the ethos of the specific school community. There are a small set of proven practices that all California community schools should adopt and adapt to meet the needs of their school:
- Community Asset Mapping and Gap Analysis
- The Community School Coordinator
- Site-Based and LEA-Based Advisory Councils
- Integrating and Aligning with Other Relevant Programs
BVUSD Community Schools Resources:
Community Schools Contacts:
