Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Force Elementary Community Resource Room
Lisa Mahannah, Principal of Force Elementary School, has a vision. Education does not stop at the door and parents have a role in important decisions and activities. A school is the place for crucial decisions, connecting parents and the community accessible trainings, and education doesn’t end at 3:30. Principal Mahannah envisions Force Elementary School as a safe, comfortable, and a “home away from home” that welcomes all who wish to get involved.
In order to create this environment, the dedicated faculty and administration agreed that the school needed a physical place within the school that embodied this philosophy. The solution was to create a Community Resource Room. Denise Deutschlander and Anjulie Rao, Metro Volunteers’ School Engagement Coordinators, listened to an excited teaching staff create a Resource Room wish list. As a partner to Force Elementary, Metro Volunteers worked with Parent Liaison, Luisa Candeleria, to plan and design the Community Resource Room.
Using funding provided by HandsOn, Acer Netbooks, a laser printer, and a state-of-the-art digital projector were purchased. Toys were also needed to create a Kids Play Area to allow the room to be engaging for all family members.
On October 17, Metro Volunteers and Force strategically recruited 25 volunteers from the school and outlying communities to paint walls, assemble furniture, and clean the room. Children also participated by decorating a pillar in the front of the school with colorful handprints, with the hope that it will become a touchstone for Force students in the future.
Building the Community Resource Room was an opportunity to help Force meet a critical need for the community. Currently the room is used for the LEAP After School Program. Soon it will become the site for Collaborative School Committees, parent CSAP trainings, anti-bullying campaigns.
Metro Volunteers School Service Program is thankful for the passion and support shown by the teachers, administration, and volunteers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
