PHILADELPHIA – The National League of Cities (NLC) selected the City of Philadelphia as the host site for the 2017 Mayors’ Institute on Advancing Education and Health through a Community Schools Strategy. NLC, through its Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, in partnership with the Coalition for Community Schools, and with generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will welcome mayors from across the nation to participate in the Mayors’ Institute, an intensive problem-solving session that will help participants improve children’s education and health outcomes through a community schools strategy.
Six mayors and their teams have been selected to participate in the convening taking place from May 2-4, 2017. Participants will develop and implement effective strategies at the intersection of education and health to increase the number of children who are healthy, ready to learn, and able to reach their full potential in school and beyond. Mayor Kenney will participate in the three-day convening to share background on Philadelphia’s community schools initiative and learn valuable insights from peers who are implementing the community schools approach in their cities.
Mayor Kenney will be joined at the Mayors’ Institute by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner; Toledo, Ohio Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson; Caldwell, Idaho Mayor Garret Nancolas; Rancho Cucamonga, California Mayor Dennis Michael; and Brooklyn Center, Minnesota Mayor Tim Wilson.
Community schools are public schools where a full-time coordinator works with the entire school community – students, parents, school staff, service providers, and neighbors – to identify the most pressing needs, such as expanded medical services, after school programming, and/or job-training, and works with City and nonprofit agencies to bring these resources directly into the school. Community schools become neighborhood centers, improving access to programs and services for students and families. Funded by the Philadelphia Beverage Tax, nine District-run public schools have received community school designation by the City of Philadelphia.
“Mayor Kenney’s commitment to make his city a national leader in the use of Community Schools made Philadelphia a natural choice as the host of our Mayors’ Institute,” said NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence E. Anthony. “The Community Schools strategy is a promising approach to ensure kids are healthy and ready to learn. It pulls together practical community resources to support children and ensure they can reach their full potential. Philadelphia’s expansion of the Community Schools strategy is an important step forward that links health and academic outcomes for students. We’re excited to bring together mayors and their teams to share and replicate their successes in cities around the country.”
“I am honored that the National League of Cities chose Philadelphia to host this exciting event,” said Mayor Kenney. “Community schools are a national movement because they address the needs of the whole child which ultimately helps more students succeed in and out of the classroom. I look forward to sharing what we’ve been able to accomplish so far in Philadelphia, while also learning best practices from other cities.”
“I’m really proud of our community schools and welcome the opportunity to showcase them during the Mayors’ Institute,” said Superintendent Dr. William Hite. “This convening will afford the City and School District a unique opportunity to learn new strategies for improving the health and well-being of our students.”
“Community schools are about re-centering civic and social priorities around public education. This is an enormous task requiring the collaboration of many partners, so it makes perfect sense for cities to work with and learn from one another,” City Council President Darrell L. Clarke said. “I believe the progress being made here will prove instructive and inspiring, and we in turn have much to learn from educators and government leaders from around the country.”
The Mayors’ Institute will take place from May 2-4, 2017. For the first two days, mayors will participate in an intensive problem-solving session with their peers, city teams and leading national experts. On May 4th, city teams will have the opportunity to tour one of Philadelphia’s community schools.
About the National League of Cities
The National League of Cities is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. The Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, a special entity within the National League of Cities, helps municipal leaders take action on behalf of the children, youth, and families in their communities.