East Marion Elementary Named Second Community Partnership School in Marion County
MARION COUNTY – East Marion Elementary School, located on the edge of the Ocala National Forest, will soon become Marion County’s second Community Partnership School (CPS).
This means students, parents, and families can enjoy a single location for school, academic success, physical, social, and emotional health, and parent/community engagement. In addition, the CPS model is based on a strategy of long-term partnerships among core partners including the school district, university or college, local non-profit, and a healthcare provider as well as community leaders who offer support.
The CPS leverages partners' social and institutional capital, making it possible for the school to offer resources and services identified by the community. The CPS serves neighboring communities, school families, and student needs, removing barriers to learning and providing built-in support so students can achieve academic success and lifelong prosperity.
CPS will grow and build to offer extended services, hours, and relationships. CPS will also provide safe spaces for participants to study, learn, live, connect, and thrive.
College Park Elementary was named Marion County’s first Community Partnership School in 2021. Thanks to the community’s combined efforts, College Park Elementary improved its attendance, academic achievement, and physical and mental well-being for its students and families. School staff even credited the partnership for students learning and thriving.
Thanks to this success, at a press conference today at College Park Elementary School, local leaders announced East Marion Elementary School as the area’s second Community Partnership School, one of just eight new CPS schools statewide this year.
East Marion now receives a planning grant to replicate the CPS model on its campus. The University of Central Florida and the State of Florida allocated an $80,000 planning grant to the United Way of Marion County to coordinate the program.
East Marion Elementary School is located at 14550 NE 14 St. Rd. in Silver Springs, Florida. Community partners for this project include the United Way of Marion County, the College of Central Florida, Hearth of Florida Health Center, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, MCPS, and the Public Education Foundation of Marion County.
For more information contact the Public Relations Office or the United Way of Marion County at 352.732.9696.