During his visit to New Haven, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona emphasized a $2.5 million grant awarded last November for community programming in two NHPS schools, specifically highlighting its impact at Fair Haven School on Monday.
Cardona, along with federal and local elected representatives, addressed the audience at Fair Haven School. The grant, bestowed upon the Clifford Beers Community Care Center in November, is slated to fund the implementation of a “Full-Service Community Schools” model over the next five years. This initiative will be carried out in two New Haven schools, namely Fair Haven School and Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration, both situated in the same neighborhood.
Cardona remarked, “This grant complements existing initiatives. You are reinforcing robust foundations that will persist in transforming the system. Systems ought to be attuned to the community’s needs, not vice versa. Hence, in the Biden administration, we take pride in advocating for an unprecedented expansion of full-service community schools in our country.” The Clifford Beers Community Care Center will spearhead the program in collaboration with New Haven Public Schools, city departments, and various local organizations, including Dwight Hall at Yale.
The objective of the full-service community schools model is to transform schools into central hubs for the community, fostering involvement from parents and local leaders.
Sarah Miller, Director of Strategy at Clifford Beers and Fair Haven Alder, explained, “The Community Schools model establishes a framework for our efforts. It’s not focused on any singular aspect but is dedicated to creating a more deliberate strategy for coordination and collaboration among all the different partners involved in supporting children and families.”
