For many of us growing up, our neighborhood schools were the heart of our communities. We not only went there to learn; we ran around their playgrounds on our off days, gathered with family for events in their gyms, and built tight friendships that carried us from grade to grade.
With the growing movement toward school choice and voucher programs, that community connection is disappearing, especially in high-poverty neighborhoods. As students commute for new opportunities, schools already facing declining enrollments struggle to stay competitive.
The passion to adapt and innovate is there; unfortunately, the financial support is often lacking.
The good news is that rebuilding what has been lost and reinventing our local schools as education powerhouses is possible when educators, families, businesses and organizations work together to develop community schools that best support students needs both inside and outside the classroom.
Making neighborhood schools the first choice
At , located outside Detroit, 90% of our 1,200 students qualify for free and reduced lunch, and nearly half of them live in extreme poverty.
Common stereotypes would paint us as a struggling district with declining enrollment and low graduation rates the type of place school choice could rescue families from. However, EPS, like many urban districts across the country, is shattering misconceptions, experiencing our eighth consecutive year of increased enrollment.
Our strategy toward excellence focuses on five key factors:
1. Essential district services and community support: A child cannot thrive in the classroom if theyre hungry, their clothes are dirty or theyre experiencing trauma in the home. As a community school, our district ensures every child has access to whole-child services like three meals a day.
2. Community-wide outreach: Building neighborhood support starts by treating the entire community as an extended family. Throughout the year, Ecorse Public Schools and our partners host a variety of events open to all of our neighbors, including a back-to-school rally featuring free bookbags, our Halloween Boo Bash and our Easter egg drop.
In November, we joined the Wayne County executive in distributing 800 turkeys, which were donated to families by county employees.
3. Diverse pathways to success after high school: Because Ecorse High School serves only 410 students, our small size allows us to carve out multiple career pathways that intersect, rather than divert students toward one specific direction.
For instance, Ecorse Public Schools partners with the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport to offer an aviation program that begins freshman year, preparing students for a career in the field after just four years.
Other career and technical education programs include certifications in cosmetology, radio and television, digital media, and certified nursing assistant. At the same time, students can participate in a dual enrollment program with Wayne County Community College to simultaneously earn high school and college credits.
Through all of our programs, were setting students up for promising, high-earning careers, helping to raise the overall community acumen and erode poverty levels.
4. Learning tailored to the individual student: A major systemic barrier that we are actively working to remove is the academic variability associated with districts in high-poverty areas. To close the achievement gap, every educator teaches grade-level content and remediates as needed, ensuring students master the material before moving on to the next step.
Regardless of where a student is academically, our educators hold each one to high expectations and work with families to uphold our standards of excellence. Parents and caregivers are valued partners, actively collaborating with teachers who share their aspirations for their childrens success.
5. Communication and transparency: One of our greatest challenges has been changing the opinion many community members hold of Ecorse Public Schools from decades ago, when the district struggled to deliver the experience students deserved. Every school leader strives to have a finger on the pulse of the community and listen closely to feedback to thoughtfully shape and improve our programming.
Five of our seven board members are Ecorse High School graduates, and all of them live and work locally, allowing them to better identify the needs of their neighbors. As superintendent, my goal is to be visible and approachable in the community, whether working in the concession stand at sporting events, taking my golf cart through the neighborhood to talk to families, or using social media to share our students accomplishments.
By building that trust and familiarity, we can assure the community that we love their kids, we care for them, and we will always make decisions that are in the best interest of their families.
For years, our community members have been told excellence doesnt reside in neighborhoods like ours. However, collective partnerships between families and community stakeholders are erasing that stigma.
Not only are more students enrolling in our local schools, but theyre thriving through expanded pathways toward college and career success. Most inspiring of all, many of our graduates are returning to the community, investing their talents and leadership to create new opportunities for future students.
