DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

CRITICAL RESPONSE: DPSF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FUND: THIS YEAR WE GAVE OUT OVER $5,500 DIRECTLY TO SCHOOL FAMILIES IN NEED OF EMERGENCY AND CRISIS SUPPORT. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORTING EVADING EVICTION, PROVIDING EMERGENCY UTILITY SUPPORT, PROVIDING ESSENTIALS, ETC. OVER $2,000 WAS AWARDED DIRECTLY TO MCKINNEY-VENTO WITHIN DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES EXPERIENCING DISPLACEMENT. THE WHOLE SCHOOLS MOVEMENT - MENTAL HEALTH IS AN ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR LEARNING, AND WE CONTINUED OUR WHOLE SCHOOLS INITIATIVE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DUKE HEALTH. THE WHOLE SCHOOLS MODEL SCHOOLS PILLAR IS FOCUSED ON PILOTING AND REFINING INNOVATIVE SCHOOL-WIDE STRATEGIES AT TWO SCHOOLS AS WELL AS DESTIGMATIZING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING LANGUAGE. OUR MODEL SCHOOLS (NEAL MIDDLE & SOUTHERN SCHOOL OF ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY) HAVE CONTINUED TO BE KEY PARTNERS IN BUILDING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO SHIFT AN ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE NEED AND PROVIDE FOR A FULL-TIME WELL-BEING SPECIALIST WITHIN DPS TO ENHANCE STUDENT AND STAFF SUPPORT. WE HAVE ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH SCHOOL LEADERS TO PLAN AND OFFER PROGRAMS LIKE A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING DAY AT NEAL THAT INCLUDED "TEACHER TAP OUTS" - WHEN A TEACHER CAN ASK FOR A GUIDED WELLNESS ACTIVITY LED BY OUR TEAM, WHILE THEY ATTEND TO A PERSONAL OR PROFESSIOANL MATTER.THE WHOLE SCHOOL MOVEMENT'S MENTAL HEALTH AMBASSADORS (MHAS) PILLAR IS DESIGNED TO TRAIN INDIVIDUALS TO BE LEADERS IN THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, HELPING BUILD AND FOSTER A MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CULTURE. IN THEIR ROLE, THEY HELP TO DESTIGMATIZE MENTAL HEALTH AND CONNECT THEIR PEERS AND/OR THEIR STUDENTS WITH SCHOOL-BASED AND/OR COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, AS NEEDED. THIS YEAR WE SUPPORTED, COACHED, AND TRAINED 31 EDUCATORS ACROSS 10 DPS SCHOOLS (INCLUDING 5 ELEMENTARY, 1 MIDDLE, AND 4 HIGH SCHOOLS) IN THE FIRST TWO EDUCATOR COHORTS, IMPROVED ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND RESTORATIVE PRACTICES TRAINING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES.THE COMMUNITY EDUCATION PILLAR PROVIDES NO-COST TRAINING, EVENTS, AND RESOURCES TO PROMOTE WELLNESS AND HEALING FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES ACROSS DURHAM. IN ADDITION, IT OFFERS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EXPLORE VARIOUS DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS. THE GOAL IS TO FOSTER WELLNESS TO (A) INCREASE KNOWLEDGE REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH; (B) IMPROVE SKILLS FOR MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH; AND (C) CONNECT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. THROUGH THIS EFFORT DPSF HOSTED OVER 500+ DPS COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS KEY EVENTS, INCLUDING THE HEALTHY MINDS, STRONGER SCHOOLS CONFERENCE, WHOLE-ISTIC WELLNESS FAIR, WHOLE-ISTIC HEALING FESTIVAL, AND DPS FEST CONNECTING FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS TO VITAL WELLNESS RESOURCES, OUR TEAM ALSO DEVELOPED THE THRIVE GUIDE TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL STRATEGIES, REDUCE STIGMA, AND BUILD SHARED LANGUAGE AROUND MENTAL HEALTH. WE WORKED WITH UNC MPH CAPSTONE STUDENTS WHO WERE IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM OVER THE LAST YEAR AND PRODUCED AN IMPRESSIVE BODY OF WORK THROUGH THEIR CAPSTONE DELIVERABLES. THE WHOLE SCHOOLS FUND PILLAR PROVIDES INTEGRATED SUPPORT, CONNECTION, COLLABORATION, AND PEER-BASED LEARNING TO GRANT RECIPIENTS (A GROUP WHICH INCLUDES STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND CAREGIVERS). DPSF STAFF PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANTEES TO MEET AS A COHORT TO ENGAGE WITH A TOPIC THAT IS RELATED TO THEIR WORK. DPSF ALSO PROVIDES A SPACE FOR GRANTEES TO CHECK-IN, NETWORK, AND PROVIDE UPDATES ON THEIR PROGRESS AND/OR ANY BARRIERS THEY ARE ENCOUNTERING IN THEIR WORK. FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, $112,396 WAS AWARDED TO FUND 27 PROJECTS ACROSS 26 SCHOOLS. GRANT AWARDS RANGED FROM $1,000 TO A MAXIMUM OF $15,000 FOR EACH FUNDED APPLICATION/PROJECT.

CHAMPIONING PUBLIC EDUCATION - THE DURHAM COMMUNITY SUPPORTS AND CELEBRATES OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DURHAM'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS REFLECT THE RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC DIVERSITY OF DURHAM AND EMBODY CULTURES AND PRACTICES THAT EQUITABLY SERVE EVERY STUDENT. IN 2023-24, WE ONBOARDED 3 VISTA MEMBERS FOR THE FOLLOWING ROLES: VOLUNTEER AND EVENTS COORDINATOR, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, AND CORPORATE VOLUNTEER AND DPS ALUM COORDINATOR. THE VISTAS ENHANCED OUR WORK IN AND WITH DPS, ADDING TEAM CAPACITY FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND ALSO CREATED A PATH FOR DPS VOLUNTEERISM.GROWING TOGETHER: IN FY 23/24, WE CONTINUED EFFORTS TO SUPPORT ENROLLMENT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DPS AND THE DPS GROWING TOGETHER INITIATIVE. GROWING TOGETHER IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S CURRENT REDISTRICTING PLANS. WE SUPPORTED THEM IN THIS WORK THROUGH A) A YARD-SIGN CAMPAIGN FOR TEN HIGH-PRIORITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AT RISK OF LOSING SIGNIFICANT ENROLLMENT, B) BY CREATING A WEBSITE THAT SHARED HIGHLIGHTS FROM ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS WELL TESTIMONIALS FROM EDUCATORS AND PARENTS AT EACH SCHOOL, AND C) BY INCENTIVIZING ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS TO KNOCK DOORS IN THEIR ATTENDANCE ZONES TO RECRUIT FAMILIES TO THEIR SCHOOLS.ADVOCACY: OUR LATINE PARENT COLLECTIVE CONTINUES TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COALITION EVERY CHILD NC. AS A RESULT OF THIS CONTINUED COLLABORATION, THE PARENT COLLECTIVE HELPED PLAN AND PARTICIPATED IN THREE ACTION DAYS IN RALEIGH TO ADVOCATE FOR EVERY CHILD'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A SOUND BASIC EDUCATION. ADDITIONALLY THE PARENT COLLECTIVE JOINED FORCES WITH DURHAM CAN TO ADVOCATE FOR FREE UNIVERSAL LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.