PREPARED BY: JORA ATIENZA wASHINGTON DATE OF MEETING: 9/5/2023
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION APPOINTING ONE (1) SAN PABLO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND ONE (1) SAN PABLO STAFF MEMBER TO REPRESENT SAN PABLO ON THE WEST COUNTY MAYORS AND SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION (WCMSA) COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SYSTEMS CHANGE COLLABORATIVE WORKING GROUP.
CEQA: This is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
Council Priority Workplan
The San Pablo Full Service Community Schools Initiative is an adopted policy item under the FY 2023-25 City Council Priority Workplan, effective May 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND
Community Schools (Community Schools) is a strategy aimed at advancing student success and wellbeing through an equity and justice lens, thereby strengthening the abilities of and empowering students, families, and the larger community. Community Schools look to define, attain, and maintain the quality of life that contributes to healthy homes and a community in which all learn and are productive members. Community Schools provide comprehensive academic, social, and health services for students, students’ family members, and community members that will result in improved educational outcomes for children and youth. Community Schools encourage the coordination of academic, social, and health services through partnerships among public schools, local education agencies, city and county government, community-based and faith-based organizations, and other public and private entities
On November 2011, the San Pablo City Council passed a resolution to develop a San Pablo Beacon Community School Initiative (SPBCSI) with the goal of transforming all West Contra County Unified School District (WCCUSD) public schools within its incorporated borders into Community Schools, with the goal of developing and sustaining the needed systems and resources to fully serve the needs of students and their families. This has been done and continues to be implemented through deep partnerships, alignment, and collaboration with the WCCUSD, Contra Costa County, community-based organizations and other stakeholders. SPBCSI creates places where school, city, and community stakeholders come together to provide diverse, mutually-aligned systems, policies, and resources to assist the academic, social, civic, and health needs and achievement of our students, their families, and the community.
The current schools within the SPBCSI are Walter T. Helms Middle School, Bayview Elementary School, Dover Elementary School, EM Downer Elementary School, Lake Elementary School, and Riverside Elementary School. They serve as models for the development and growth of this approach within the WCCUSD.
The City of San Pablo (City) works to develop strong partnerships with the WCCUSD, public and private entities, and the community to implement and expand the district-wide Community School strategy. An example of this deep collaboration is the City’s support for and leadership in the WCCUSD’s successful 2022 and 2023 applications to the California Department of Education’s California Community Schools Partnership Program, garnering the district historic 5-year grants totaling $36,000,000 to expand and deepen WCCUSD’s Community School Initiative, of which San Pablo is a forerunner.
Recommendation for Consideration: Opportunity for Multi-City/Municipality Focused Collaboration
In an effort to further align the WCCUSD’s resources and deepen impact, WCCUSD’s Community Schools Support Collaborative, which City staff helped establish and currently co-chair, presented and proposed for consideration to the members of the West Contra Mayors and Supervisors Association (WCMSA) at its May 25, 2023 meeting, the establishment of a Working Group, involving all member cities and municipalities, where members can collaborate to improve alignment, coordination, and implementation of vision, policies, resources, and communication around focused areas that affect youth and their families across all West County.
In that same meeting, a unanimous vote of WCMSA members established the Community Schools Systems Change Collaborative Working Group, with the request to have member cities and municipalities appoint two representatives from each jurisdiction, consisting of an elected member and a city staff person.
The City’s participation in WCMSA is a continuation of the City’s investment in Community Schools, furthers the city’s regional leadership in West Contra Costa County, provides the opportunity for the City’s collaboration with other cities and the County on objectives that will benefit San Pablo youth and families, and ultimately fosters the conditions for the Community Schools strategy to succeed in the region by building integrated systems to improve educational outcomes for children and youth.
The recommended City representatives for the Community Schools Change Collaborative Working Group are:
• Abel Pineda - Mayor/ City Council representative
• Jora Atienza Washington - Community Services Manager/Staff representative
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no additional anticipated fiscal impact beyond staff time.
ATTACHMENTS
Att A - RES West County Mayors and Supervisors (WCMSA) Collaborative Community Schools Working Group Appointment Representatives