News Release: GUHSD Community School Showcase

April 08, 2024

EducationPress Release

Media Contact
Collin McGlashen
619-248-7193 (cell)
cmcglashen@guhsd.net

April 5, 2024

Model "Community School" to Showcase its Programs
Amidst the national movement toward "Community Schools," El Cajon Valley High School's leadership and staff will showcase the services, resources, and career programs they've built over multiple years which the recent infusion of California Community School Partnership Program Grant funding will enhance and expand for its community

WHAT: El Cajon Valley High School “Community School” Showcase
WHERE: E l Cajon Valley High School, 1035 E Madison Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92021, various locations throughout campus. (campus map)

WHEN: Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 10:30 am to 11:45 am.
SCHEDULE:
10:30 am - Welcome and Introduction by El Cajon Valley High School Principal Rob Stirling and Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Superintendent Mary Beth Kastan - Event Center, Multipurpose Room
10:40 am to 11:10 am - Career Technical Education Pathway class tours - Various Classrooms

Welding, 600’s building
Arts Media and Entertainment, 700’s building
Culinary Arts - 400’s building
Health & Medicine - 800’s building

Tours will be led by El Cajon Valley High School Community Center staff members.
11:15 am to 11:45 am - Reception - Community Center, Room 103
BACKGROUND:
What is a Community School?
“Community Schools” have a central role in the discussion about the future of education in America. The California Department of Education defines a Community School as a “public school that serves (students) and has community partnerships that support improved academic outcomes, whole-child engagement, and family development. Community school partnership strategies include integrated support services, extended learning time, and collaborative leadership and practices for educators and administrators.” Community Schools are those that operate as a resource and activity hub for its families and community members.
El Cajon Valley High School (ECV) has been operating as a Community School for two school years and now serves as a model program. With the recent infusion of grant funds from the California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP), ECV will be able to expand and strengthen its programs. ECV has three branches to its Community School approach:

Community Resources and Activities: The ECV Community Center connects students and families to services and resources needed for their success. Through partnerships with numerous community organizations, the ECV Community Center provides food, clothing, school supplies, connections to healthcare services, translation services for its diverse community, links to county services, and more. Their robust offerings also include a variety of activities for families to attend together on campus, such as working in the community garden, cooking classes in their onsite restaurant classroom, family game nights, and more. El Cajon Valley’s Community Center made 12,984 contacts with community members in its first year of existence, and CCSPP funding will allow it to extend its hours of operation, add space, and expand its services.
Career Technical Education course offerings: Also known as CTE, Career Technical Education provides students with specialized academic and technical skills, knowledge, and training necessary to succeed in America's in-demand careers. When CTE courses are offered alongside traditional course offerings, the result is a well-rounded student who is also ready to start down a career path when they graduate. According to an ECV Arts, Media & Entertainment CTE student, “this has been the greatest opportunity for me to actually work on my passion. I can actually make a career out of this and use this (class experience) to get into things I’ve always wanted to be a part of.”
Before and After School programming: ECV offers a wide variety of before-and-after school programs as part of the After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program, also known as ASSETs. Students can arrive at school as early as 6:30am or stay after school until 5:00pm to participate in gaming activities in the Student Center, get homework help in the library, or join off-campus kayaking and mountain biking excursions. The programs and activities offered are planned and voted on by the school’s Youth Advisory Board.

What is the CCSPP's overall impact on GUHSD Schools?
Grossmont Union High School District schools were awarded $7,125,000 over five years. GUHSD schools receiving a portion of that funding include El Cajon Valley High School, Monte Vista High School, Mount Miguel High School, Chaparral High School, and MERIT Academy.