This is where you can discover specific program success stories, interesting initiatives, and even updates about your favorite schools!
The Next Generation Scholars program was just renewed for a sixth year to continue to support students at Booker T. Washington Middle School, Renaissance Academy, and Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts, and other Baltimore City high schools. Scholars have toured nine colleges and universities this past fall including Baltimore City Community College, Community College of Baltimore County, Morgan State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Johnson C. Smith University, University of North Carolina, George Washington University, and Coppin State University. We are excited for college acceptance letters to start coming in! Click to see pictures, highlights, and events from each of our programs.
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This academic year has been a great year for our Community Schools team! We are happy to report that we have expanded our model to 12 schools in Baltimore City and are fully staffed. The Positive Schools Center was approved by the school board to continue and expand our Community School work in Baltimore City. We were also one of only 42 grantees in the nation to receive the U.S. Department of Education's competitive Full-Service Community Schools grant. With additional funding and a talented team, we are excited to see the new initiatives that'll continue enhancing the creation of more positive and engaged school communities. Click below to see pictures, highlights, and events from each of our programs.
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There are new opportunities to become part of the passionate SWCOS/ PSC family that partners with Baltimore schools, students, families, educators, and community members.
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Looking to prioritizing school culture, climate, & relationships next year?
The PSC is currently accepting new Baltimore City Public Schools for SY22-23's Climate Cohort.
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Learn how the Positive Schools Center is making a difference in Baltimore City by giving principals and teachers tools to create a nurturing environment with accountability for students. PSC director Shantay McKinily is our guest on The UMB Pulse.
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The Intensive Climate Cohort has been working to support educators to help students and Baltimore schools rebuild relationships and positive school communities in the midst of the pandemics' impact and trauma. We have been creating supports that are flexible and responsive to community needs.
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Next Gen has been working with students and families as they apply for college and scholarships! Staff has also been providing support and opportunities for students to connect as they continue to navigate the long-term impact of virtual learning and the pandemic. In the next few months, Next Gen is looking to strengthen its relationship with PSC Community Schools Augusta Fells Savage, helps students prepare for graduation, and begin to recruit new students for next year!
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Our schools anxiously awaited the return of their students at the beginning of this school year! Since then, our Community School Coordinators have been busy getting to know their students and stakeholders in person, while also continuing to provide much-needed resources. Whether it was food, access to furniture or clothing supports, holiday or housing assistance; our CSCs have been working tirelessly to support their local communities. We were also thrilled to have Augusta Fells Savage Institute of the Visual Arts (AFSIVA) join our team of Community Schools this year.
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To meet the exceptional challenges of the current school year, the PSC has developed a collection of flexible workshops, aligned circle prompts, and differentiated multi-media tools to help educators more easily integrate Restorative Approaches and social emotional learning into their school routines.
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The PSC is thank for the work of our dedicated team. Learn about our team, the ways they are supporting their schools, and some of the things that they have accomplished.
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NextGen has been connecting with scholars and their families over the summer to help them prepare to return to school in person. We applied for and received an exciting new grant for students to be compensated and lead an initiative as a part of our social justice advocacy programming. Collectively, we started the social justice advocacy program in 2020 during the pandemic and we’re excited to finally get our feet off the ground and our hands dirty in the community! Our seniors have begun the college hunting process and are very eager to see what this school year will bring.
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Community Schools Coordinators and staff have been working hard to welcome students and families back to school.
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Join us for a series of FREE workshops, March 22nd-25th at 4:30pm EST. Register now! Can't participate? View this workshop series live, catch the workshops you missed, or find other past PSC events on our Facebook page!
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Mr. Nikomar Mosely, Principal of the Fantastic Gwynns Falls Elementary shares how his partnership with the Positive School Center has impacted is approach to leadership and his school community.
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The beginning of the 2020-2021 school year has been anything but easy. PSC community school coordinators have been on the front lines serving students, families, and communities.
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School leaders and the PSC have created space for healing circles for staff members to process and respond to the national events. Westport’s staff share that Restorative Circles provide a “strategy for getting people into a setting to share their ideas and thoughts” and create an opportunity to “express my own emotions to others.” Restorative Practices have helped the school staff to “embrace conversations that are difficult,” and “assist with student engagement to begin to facilitate anti-racist schools.”
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The PSC's Next Gen Scholars have been working to help students achieve through Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), college and career readiness, and strong relationships!
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The Community Schools strategy has been essential this year as communities are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic decline. New and returning coordinators are organizing food distribution, acquiring and distributing technology, connecting families to internet access, locating diapers and other household essentials, sourcing masks and other personal protective equipment, coordinating emergency social and emotional supports, and ensuring the continued attendance and engagement of all students and staff.
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Before and after the move to virtual learning, the established Community Schools program at Wolfe Street Academy has helped educators to connect to students and families in a restorative and holistic manner.
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Wildwood has been a vital force within the Edmondson Village community. The school has provided service to students and families year-round. After school buildings were closed, the school has increased efforts communicating with parents, distributing laptops, and working with teachers to engage students.
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Harlem Park has worked tirelessly to accommodate students and their families through the pandemic and distance learning. The Community School Coordinator created new systems and trained staff to provide the best experience in the worst of times.
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A new partnership at Westport Academy, made possible through Community Schools programming, has led to the creation of a mental wellness program for students and families.
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The PSC works at the state, district, and local level to advocate for changes in policy and practice. Learn about some of the actions that the PSC took during the 2019-2020 school year, to help schools to become more restorative and healing places.
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The PSC’s Next Generation Scholars (NGS) program, originating from a Maryland State Department of Education grant, provides mentoring, academic support, and case management for students to successfully transition from middle school to high school, and ultimately to college or a career of their choosing.
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The PSC has worked closely with George Washington staff and school leadership to plan for the upcoming school year. In collaboration with community partners, PSC worked to meet the needs of families during the summer months in quarantine.
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George Washington collaborates with the Positive Schools Center and City Schools to promote student and staff wholeness through implementing Social and Emotional Learning strategies and Restorative Practices.
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The PSC has been working with The Belair-Edison School’s middle school campus for the last two years with great success. Restorative Approaches and an intentional analysis of Racial Justice and Equity have been central to their approach.
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Part of our curriculum includes getting feet on the ground when it comes to exploring college choice! Unfortunately, this spring happened, and we were unable to attend any in-person college visits in 2020. It’s been a hard year for students, and we don’t want them to lose that excitement for the future. We’re asking for your help to keep the inspiration coming! We have partnered with the illustrious members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. to host a school supply drive to support our students on their new journey through online learning.
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Over the last few weeks, COVID-19 has changed everything, but mainly how we engage with each other.
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The Positive Schools Center (PSC) offers many different types of training for school leadership, staff, and Baltimore community members to help redirect our traditional disciplinary methods toward a positive school climate that utilizes other options.
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Hilton Elementary School is making some serious changes including work relating to teacher self-care, as well as incorporating restorative approaches throughout their school day and school community.
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Direct feedback from the school administrators and staff members working in the schools and communities that are a part of our Intensive Climate Collaborative Cohort. These are the people doing active work to help improve school climate and improve student outcomes.
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Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique. Wolfe Street Academy has worked hard to implement mindfulness into their school community and school climate.
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