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Community Partnerships

At Seattle Public Schools, we recognize that education extends beyond the classroom, and our commitment to fostering holistic growth and learning is at the heart of our community partnerships. Through strategic collaborations with local organizations, businesses, and community leaders, we aim to create a supportive network that enriches students' lives and enhances their educational experiences.

 

These partnerships are grounded in our mission to empower students to become lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and engaged citizens. 

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By connecting our students with diverse opportunities and resources, we contribute to their personal development, expose them to real-world applications of their studies, and prepare them for success in an ever-changing world.

Our Mission and Vision for Community Partnerships

The mission of the School and Community Partnerships Department (SCP) is to facilitate collaborative, cross-sector partnership systems that foster a consistent and student-centered ecosystem of support and experiences for our students. With an unwavering commitment to equity, SCP envisions establishing transformative, anti-racist partnerships between Seattle Public Schools and the community.

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These partnerships are designed to ignite students' curiosity, validate their identities, and provide the support necessary to thrive in school and in their future endeavors. As we build a network of relationships that transcend traditional education, we lay the foundation for a more inclusive, empowering, and enriching educational journey for every student.

Focus Areas and Strategic Initiatives

The SCP Department has several Focus Areas and strategic initiatives. These are borne from solid and intentional partnerships with major strategic partners supporting Seattle Public Schools to improve outcomes for children.

 

Focus Areas

  • Build and Strengthen Cross-Sector Collaboration and Alignment

  • Build the Capacity of Partner Organizations to Support and Align to School and District Goals

  • Develop Stronger and More Consistent Partnership Systems Centrally and at the School Level

  • Highlight, Advocate For, and Create Pathways for the Expertise of Culturally Responsive Community-Based Organizations to Influence District Decisions and Priorities

 

Strategic Initiatives

  • Affordable Housing Partners

  • Aligned Partners

  • The Creative Advantage

  • City of Seattle Families and Education Levy

  • Seattle University Youth Initiative

 

You can find out what all of these are on the SPS Community Partnerships page.

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Strengthening Communities through Partnerships

From tutoring to housing support, our ties with the City of Seattle, Special Olympics, and more highlight the positive impact of the partnership on students' lives. A few of our critical partnerships for elevating students' experiences include:

 

  • Seattle Housing Authority: A national model for improving education outcomes, benefiting over 6,000 students in SHA-subsidized housing. This enduring partnership bolsters academic success and family engagement.

  • Seattle Parks and Recreation: With over 1,000 students, extended-day academic support, mentoring, STEAM programs, and career readiness initiatives enrich students' education.

  • Seattle Public Libraries: Library Link grants instant access to online resources, e-books, and audiobooks. The annual Global Reading Challenge sparks students' reading engagement.

  • Special Olympics Washington: Unified Champion Schools program fosters socially inclusive environments, providing inclusive sports, whole-school engagement, and leadership opportunities. More information about Unified Champion Schools is available on the Special Olympics Washington website.

Partnership Tools and Supports

The SPS School and Community Partnership Department, in partnership with school staff and partners, have developed tools to support collaborative partnership practices. We recognize that many schools and parents already have robust systems of partnership coordination; we also recognize that it takes time to develop and sustain a robust coordination system.

 

General Partnership Tools: Resource for applying a racial equity lens to partnership work, partnership summary tool for alignment and shared expectations, and a toolkit from King County Youth Development Executives. Expanded Learning Tools: Comprehensive process guide and inventory worksheet to strengthen partner programming, space use worksheet for facility coordination, funding models for service alignment, and School's Out Washington's Quality Standards for afterschool programs.

 

PTSA Tools: Essential resources for PTSAs to fulfill legal requirements and establish robust partnership systems for after-school enrichment. School and Community Partnership Supports: For partnership review, new partners, system setup, and feedback, contact us at communitypartnerships@seattleschools.org.

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