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Las Cruces Expands Community Schools Initiative

What if local schools could provide low-income students and families with a whole range of support services, from dental exams to monthly groceries? The City of Las Cruces and Las Cruces Public Schools are teaming up to offer more services by expanding the city’s Community Schools program.

Picture your average school. Students cycle through the standard classes, where they learn about things like meiosis and mitosis or iambic pentameter. When the final bell rings, kids rush out and the building shuts down for the night.

Now picture a school that also functions as a sort of doctor’s office, food pantry, and community center all wrapped up in one. There’s a clothing closet, for kids whose families can’t always afford new clothes. Parents drop by after school hours, for classes on nutrition or financial literacy.

This is what’s called a community school. There’s already one in Las Cruces: Lynn Middle School, which provides some of these services. Now, the city and school district are working to create more.

Mayor Ken Miyagishima announced the initative at a recent press conference. “Our goal is to support and sustain a network of high-quality community schools, to promote student achievement, positive conditions for learning and the well-being of families and our community,” he said.

The City of Las Cruces and Las Cruces Public Schools are creating a new board, which will help schools transform into community hubs, where local partners can provide families with resources and opportunities.

Mary Parr-Sanchez is Community School Liaison for LCPS. She says right now, lots of students can’t meet their full academic potentials.

“When they are in school many unfortunately are bringing with them a number of barriers that get in the way of their success, whether it’s hunger, untreated trauma, or just needing a positive relationship with a caring adult,” she says. “We cannot ignore the basic needs of our students and families.”

David Greenberg is Community School Coordinator for the district. He stresses this isn’t a one-size-fits-all model.

“Every community school looks different,” he says. “So there’s approximately 5,000 schools that identify as community schools throughout the country and each one is customized to the unique needs and assets of that community. So we often say that if you’ve seen one community school, you’ve seen one community school.”

Mayor Miyagishima estimates the city could dedicate between 50 and 70,000 dollars to the program each year. He says the new board will likely start meeting next fall.

Mallory Falk currently serves as a reporter for Texas public radio stations and her work continues to be heard on KRWG. She was based here from June, 2018 through June, 2019 as a Report for America corps member. She covers a wide range of issues in the region, including immigration, education, healthcare, economic development, and the environment. Mallory previously served as education reporter at WWNO, New Orleans Public Radio, where her coverage won multiple awards. Her stories have aired on regional and national programs like Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Here & Now, and Texas Standard.