July 22, 2020: Generous donor endorses plan

$120,000 grant for School-Community Partnerships
We are thrilled to announce that even in the face of current challenges, progress continues on Manchester School District’s new strategic plan, “Our Community’s Plan for Manchester’s Future of Learning; Excellence and Equity for all Learners.” 

Working with the District’s leadership, Manchester Proud has secured a $120,000 grant from an anonymous donor to build a robust and enduring School-Community Partnership Network. We presented our goals for this initiative, a key component of the strategic plan, to the Board of School Committee on Monday night and look forward to partnering with the district on this opportunity.

You’ll find a fuller description of the initiative on our website. 

For years, the District’s leadership and Board of School Committee have sought to more comprehensively understand all of the community programs and resources that support our 22 schools. Meanwhile, community supporters and funders of such programs have wished the work of various agencies to be better aligned for greater efficiency and effectiveness. Now both objectives will be realized.

Among the many benefits of the new School-Community Partnership Network will be:

  • Extended/alternative learning opportunities for our students through enhanced lessons, projects, mentorships, and internships.
  • An opportunity to complement our educator’s work and professional development through links to local subject matter experts.
  • Aligned services of our youth-facing agencies for the coordinated delivery of multi-tiered, system-wide, wrap-around supports for all learners.
  • Promotion of workforce development and vibrancy of our economy through school-business partnerships.
  • A gateway for community donations of material resources and volunteer services to our schools.

“Community partnerships make everyone stronger,” said Jennifer Gillis, Manchester School District’s Assistant Superintendent. “The urgencies of our response to Covid-19 have under-scored existing inequities and emphasized the need for partnerships that are dynamic, innovative, and effective.” 

Check out TEDx Talk on the Mission of Manchester Proud:
Last fall, Manchester Proud’s Coordinator was invited to deliver a TEDx Talk on the mission and work of Manchester Proud. The talk explores why our public schools are essential to our collective future and offers a vision of what they can be – if we work together to make them great. A video of the talk has just been posted; check it out at:  https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_brensinger_our_schools_are_our_future

Weigh in on school funding
The state’s Commission to Study School Funding wants to hear your thoughts about our public schools – the role they play in the community, the services students need to learn, and how the state pays for public education.

The Commission is researching these questions and is scheduled to issue its recommendations on school funding Dec. 1, 2020. Comments can be offered at the Commission’s monthly online meetings or emailed to Rep. Dave Luneau, Chairman of the Commission, at schoolfunding.commission@unh.edu. 

Click here for a meeting schedule and instructions for attending virtually.

For tips on crafting and submitting public comments, click here.