Community Schools in Action: Southern Roots Symposium
Recently, our Community Schools Team had the honor of shining at the Southern Roots Symposium—a powerful gathering of education leaders from nearly 20 institutions of higher education across the U.S. South. The focus? Building relationships and sharing how strategies like ours at Student U can help drive the community schools movement forward.
Throughout the symposium, conversations centered on practical ways higher education can support teaching and learning, community development, advocacy, and coalition building. Durham Public Schools’ network of community schools was rightfully highlighted, and we were proud to see our own Full-Service Community Schools in Orange County—New Hope Elementary and Central Elementary—and in Vance County—Vance County High School and Clarke Elementary—featured during the symposium.
Krystle Lindsey, Clarke’s Community School Coordinator and keynote speaker at the event, set the tone during her opening remarks. Her words grounded the symposium in the values that matter most:
“The long work is the right work.”
Krystle reminded us that community schools aren’t a trend—they’re a transformative approach to addressing deep systemic challenges in education. Real change happens not with quick fixes, but through relationships—intentional, consistent, and rooted in care. At Clarke Elementary, becoming a Full-Service Community School has meant being intentional in three key areas:
1. Academic Achievement
Clarke is on track to make incredible gains by the end of the school year:
- Reading proficiency rising from 19% to 30%
- Math proficiency increasing from 23% to 40%
- Science proficiency climbing from 17% to 40%
2. Social Emotional Learning (SEL)A schoolwide SEL focus ensures that 100% of staff are attentive to students’ emotional needs, helping guide students in managing their emotions and connecting them with support when needed.
3. Community and Parent Engagement
Clarke aims to increase participation in school events, volunteerism, and partnerships by 20% by the end of the 2024-2025 school year—fostering a sense of belonging and shared responsibility.
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That spirit of transformation was present throughout the event. Cherokee McAdoo, Community Schools Coordinator at New Hope Elementary, joined partners from NCCU to share a breakout session on their innovative mentorship program, pairing college students with elementary schoolers. The response was electric—university educators and partners across the Southeast are eager to replicate this powerful model.
Our other Student U team members—Alyzia, Wendy, Ashley, and our amazing Social Work interns Kristen and Alexys—facilitated a breakout focused on how partnerships with professional degree programs can build capacity in public schools. In addition, we were thrilled to collaborate with the University of Maryland to explore how programs like MSW and MPH align with the needs and opportunities FOUND in Full-Service Community Schools. These interns aren’t just fulfilling credit requirements—they’re doing values-aligned, real-world work that directly impacts students and families.
And we can’t forget the incredible student ambassadors at Vance County High School, who led visitors through their school with pride, ending the tour with a stunning choir performance that brought the house down.
A Community Schools Coordinator’s job is to connect the dots—to ensure students and families receive not just an education but the wraparound support they need to thrive. During the symposium, site visits to New Hope Elementary, Central Elementary, and Vance County High School in Vance County painted that picture vividly.
What Community Schools Mean to FamiliesTo the families we serve, community schools mean:
- Support – Someone to call when they need help.
- Opportunity – Access to life-changing resources.
- Belonging – A sense of being part of the school, not just a visitor.
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The Student U Community Schools Team is doing work that often goes unseen—connecting partners, organizing events, supporting learning, and creating spaces where kids and families feel seen, supported, and empowered.
This month, we’re giving a huge shoutout to the whole team. Your energy, creativity, and commitment are helping build a future where every student has what they need to thrive—not just academically, but as whole people, in connected communities.
The long work is the right work. And we’re just getting started.
