Everyone knows the system of a one-room schoolhouse: One teacher catering to the needs of all students, making sure they are fed, taught, and nurtured. Saranac Lake Community School incorporates the individual attention of one-room schoolhouses to meet the needs of a 21st-century education.
Saranac Lake is a rural town in the Northern Adirondacks with a population of approximately 5,000 full-time residents. The vacation-perfect town attracts many visitors and secondary homeowners, drastically affecting the economic circumstances of the non-tourist seasons and limiting affordable housing for locals. The rural setting, in combination with these financial constraints, limits access to medical/dental services, transportation, and community relationships. These circumstances present obstacles to student learning. The school recognized the needs of its community and decided to shift the narrative.
In 2018, the Saranac Lake Central School District began its first year using the term “community school” to explicitly indicate its commitment to eliminating inhibitors of students’ success and well-being. Since then, their program has grown tremendously and is an exemplary model of what a school can accomplish with the help of earnest leadership, established partnerships, and the right funding.
SL Community School has developed strong relationships with local partners in order to run successful programs and fulfill community needs. Many businesses have expressed that they would likely not be around if not for this program and the support it provides. The SL Community School program also receives funding from a variety of sources. In the past three years, one specific funding source has offered unimaginable opportunities for students and families in the district and it was my job this summer to figure out how to capitalize on this increased capacity to best benefit the community.
2022 was SLCSD’s first year of funding with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant which awards the school $756,000 a year until 2027 to provide high-quality out-of-school-time enrichment opportunities to all students and families in the district. In order to receive this money, the grant requires SLCSD to meet a threshold of 360 students at 15 hours of participation in programs. In year two of the grant (2023-24), 489 students had 15+ hours of participation, out of the 812 registered. By the end of the year, the school was able to reach approximately 75% of students with the 200+ plus programs offered!
My research focused on two questions: 1) why are students/families not participating? and 2) what can we do to get them involved? I created and distributed a survey for parents of students with less than 5 hours of participation, asking them questions about barriers to participation, potential activities of interest, and best times to schedule events. I received 43 responses out of the 99 I sent out, which provided some interesting feedback. I learned that lack of time, student interest, and transportation are the biggest barriers to participation. The most surprising comments informed me that some parents are hesitant to sign up because they do not want to take a spot from a less fortunate family. To mitigate these barriers, I think it is important to inform families that these opportunities are for everyone. Community schools create a place where all students and families can benefit from the same experiences and resources, regardless of economic class. Shared experience is an essential part of community building and it is a service that SLCSD is committed to providing. In addition to changing new programs to accommodate interests and scheduling, we are planning on creating a Saranac Lake Community School Instagram that will inform students and families in the district of the programs and services that everyone is encouraged to use.
My day-to-day responsibilities extended far beyond my research, from chaperoning programs and managing the food pantry to enrolling students, to attending meetings. The school employs a program management team to run the section of community school work that falls under the 21st CCLC grant, which consists of a variety of school personnel including my two supervisors: Erika Bezio, community school liaison, and Meg Farrell, community school coordinator. In my close work with the team, their commitment to knowing and serving their community was evident even in just the way they treated me. The most rewarding parts of my experience were learning from my incredible mentors, contributing to the amazing opportunities this service offers, and observing families’ excitement during programs.
One project I helped plan is the Saturday Academy that SLCSD will be hosting in October 2024. Community schools in other districts have executed these festival-like events that provide free resources and activities for all community members including a health clinic, farmers’ market, lawn games, crafts, music, and more. This eliminates transportation and financial barriers to important resources while utilizing the school as a community center. As SLCSD is the largest geographic school district in the state with only about 1,000 students, families often only go into town once a day for work/school. The school recognizes this challenge and has made efforts to be a “one-stop shop,” which the concept of a Saturday Academy reflects well. SLCSD also houses Department of Social Services offices and a food pantry among all the other community programs they run.
I applied for the Field School fellowship excited to learn about and contribute to a beautiful community; however, I finished it with more profound connections, knowledge, and passion than I expected. One of the reasons why I chose to attend 51 was because of the community, and my experience with the Field School is a true testament to its value. I plan on majoring in International Relations and English and have considered going into education or law. The experience I had with the Upstate Institute and SLCSD has further confirmed my passion for community and increased my awareness of local issues.