Sailing lessons, overnight camp, new bikes, and summer learning. These are just a few of the opportunities City Connects Coordinators are helping families access this summer.
For months, City Connects Coordinators from Massachusetts to Minnesota have been working hard to ensure their students and families will have the support they need once school doors close. They’re connecting families with food assistance to replace the school-based support they receive during the year.
They’re linking students with programs to bolster their academic and social-emotional growth outside school. And, to the delight of many families, they’re helping to create some summer magic.
“We know that summer access to opportunities can really make a huge difference in the lives of our students. Whether it’s academic opportunities for some of our students who might just need a little push to keep making progress or an enrichment opportunity or the funding and access to be able to do fun family activities, we try to be really intentional about connecting families with resources they need well in advance,” said Peyton Schick, City Connect Program Manager in Minnesota.
Peyton and her team of Coordinators—who support 10 Catholic schools across the Twin Cities—have spent much of the past year preparing for the summer months. In March, they held a service fair for Coordinators to connect with community partners focused on summer support and enrichment. Coordinators then share those opportunities with their families, through school-wide flyers and individualized outreach. Maggie Longsdorf, the Coordinator at Risen Christ Catholic School in Minneapolis, even held her own summer service fair to give families direct access to summer opportunities. The event drew 15 organizations and 50 families.
In addition to connecting families with necessities like food, housing, and childcare, City Connects Coordinators in Minneapolis-St.Paul are focused on making sure families find joy this summer. The Coordinators secured a scholarship to give 24 children the unique opportunity to attend sleepaway camp. And, through another local partnership, they’re connecting students with bikes to build independence and make summer memories.
“We’re really trying to ensure that none of our students are missing out due to lack of access, information, or resources. Our Coordinators are working hard to make sure families know that they have options and that we can help connect them. Of course we wouldn’t be able to do this without the amazing community partners we’ve been collaborating with,” said Schick.
On the coast of Massachusetts, City Connects Coordinators in Salem are teaming up with community organizations to ensure their students are supported through the summer. Through partnerships with organizations such as the YMCA and Leap for Education, students in Salem’s seven City Connects schools are able to take part in free, full-day summer programs that offer project-based learning and enrichment opportunities.
“It’s a win-win, the students have an opportunity to have a really cool summer experience and parents and caregivers can rest easy knowing their children are being well looked after and getting what they need during the day,” said Liz Yoder, City Connects Program Manager and Director of Student Supports PreK-5 for Salem Public Schools.
These programs give students opportunities to broaden their academic abilities and explore their interests—like photography, robotics, or cooking—while making new friends from across the city. And, because of the strong relationships between City Connects and their community partners, kids are getting the individualized support they need to continue to grow over the summer months.
“City Connects Coordinators have so much knowledge of each of their students that they are able to collaborate and share with summer program counselors around how best to support each student, especially those who may have more significant social-emotional or behavioral needs. That way the counselors are ready to support students from day one. I think that really embodies how powerful the City Connects program is in our district,” said Yoder.
In addition to these full-day summer programs, Liz and the coordinators are working tirelessly to connect families with the wide array of opportunities their seaside city has to offer. A family favorite, year-after-year, is sailing lessons through the Sail Salem program.
“Preparing for summer is a top priority for the Coordinators. I really applaud their tenacity and their commitment to ensuring their students are connected to anything and everything we can get for them,” said Yoder.
