Enjoy the newest Hub Happenings

Volume 2, Issue 3| December 6, 2023

If you have suggestions for the next issue of Hub Happenings, email Mary-Beth Matthews at mmathew1@tps.org. If you see three dots, make sure you click on them to see the expanded copy.

HUB HAPPENINGS

After an extremely successful Town Hall meeting at Jones Leadership Academy for Business, where priorities for the year were established, it's time to mark your calendars for the Pickett Town Hall meeting next week. These events are a signature element of the Schools as Community Hubs strategy where we reflect back to our communities what we have learned about the needs and assets within their neighborhoods. You can read more about the Jones Leadership Academy of Business Town Hall here, and you can learn more about this work on our Hubs website.

NEWS FROM THE JONES LEADERSHIP ACADEMY OF BUSINESS HUB

Heidy Eckel, Hub Director

The Art Tatum Zone is the Lead Partner

Susie’s Coats had another successful giveaway this year at Jones Leadership Academy of Business, giving out a great deal more items than even last year.

Consider these numbers:

817 new coats
1,600 pairs of socks
Nearly 825 hats
Nearly 825 pairs of gloves
700 bags of items provided by Bags of Love
500 dental hygiene items, courtesy of Dr. Larry Schmakel and Corner Dental
500 pairs of shoes provided by Dutch and Brenda and the Shoe Shack
375 bars of soap donated by Buff City Soap
200 pairs of undergarments and pajamas provided by Build the Children
125 smoke detectors provided by the Toledo Fire Department

Plus, Let’s Build Beds provided an example of a beautiful new set of bunkbeds that families could register for.

"We thank Susie's Coats for providing such gifts to the beautiful children in our community with love and unconditional, positive regard," Hub Director Heidy Eckel writes.

Ms. Eckel also shares: "We had a successful town hall to analyze the needs of the community and determine the Hub priorities. Some of the identified needs are:

Life Skills
Math support
Parental involvement
Adult role models
Mental health

"These priorities are going to be a guide for a lot of the Hub work in the next few years. We’re excited to continue to work with all the stakeholders in our community to make a difference in all these priority areas!"

NEWS FROM THE PICKETT ACADEMY HUB

Aloee Jackson, Hub Director

The Art Tatum Zone is the Lead Partner

Pickett Academy had a dinner for family and students before the Thanksgiving break. Families enjoyed dinner and giveaways, posed for family portraits, and took home four board games to enrich family time during the holiday season.

NEWS FROM THE REYNOLDS ELEMENTARY HUB

Zahra Collins, Hub Director

Pathway 4 Successful Leadership is the Lead Partner

"Community Hubs in Schools [is] not just a tool to provide resources to the students and families that the Hub serves," writes Zahra Collins, Reynolds Elementary Hub director. "It is a way for those in this line of work to make connections, improve relations, and build from the inside out." She shares the following as two examples of the "moments that can happen within our work, that cause positive ripple effects in the lives of those we serve, and which help us build rapport with our partners."

Ms. Collins took Bellatrix (Bella or Bells for short), her baby parrot, to Ms. Barone's third grade and Mrs. Britt's first grade classes. Mrs. Britt's class had recently gone on a virtual field trip to the Toledo Zoo where they visited the Amazon exhibit, learning about the rainforest and its wildlife. "Having Bella visit was an awesome opportunity for the students to extend their learning. I was told that a green frog is coming to visit the class after the hibernation season," Ms. Collins shares. The students are going to make foraging toys for Bella that will be given to her at a Hatch Day party in December. Ms. Barone's third grade class has been pet sitting Mrs. Neitzke's guinea pig and learning about pet responsibility. "I spent over an hour answering questions about Bella's environment at home and how I take care of a winged pet," Ms. Collins writes. "Both classes were thrilled to have Bella visit and cannot wait for her next appearance."

Representatives of the Reynolds Hub, its partners, and the community supported school staff members and the Reynolds YWOE and YMOE students as they hosted parents and guardians for the annual Gathering with Guardians event. More than 100 guardians came out to have a pancake and sausage breakfast with their students and Ms. Collins was able to witness a truly special moment. "A father came early to try to have breakfast with his daughter; unfortunately, the event was not starting until after school was in session and the dad was going to have to leave, missing the event, because he was walking to work," Ms. Collins relates. "Rather than let him leave, our principal, Tiffany Dent, found him a ride to work. This allowed him to stay and enjoy breakfast with his daughter."

NEWS FROM THE RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY HUB

Jazzma Chandler, Hub Director

The YMCA of Greater Toledo is the Lead Partner

Riverside Elementary students and their families had an enjoyable time at last month's Thanksgiving Dinner and Literacy Night event. "Families were able to enjoy a nice holiday meal, play literacy games, listen to music, and enjoy story time," Hub Director Jazzma Chandler relates. She says all of the literacy stations were run by volunteers from the University of Toledo, including the entire baseball team. In addition, Albert 'The Prince' Bell, an undefeated Super Featherweight world title contender born and raised in Toledo, was a surprise guest. "We also had our partners from Perrysburg First Church volunteer to help serve food," Ms. Chandler writes. "We gave away several raffles and also had Buckeye Broadband attend to sign eligible families up for free internet. It was truly an amazing time."

The Riverside Hub was also able to give away 25 Thanksgiving dinners to families. A big thank you to representatives from partners City of Zion Church and Ballas for purchasing all items and coming to prepare baskets. "We even had some of our kiddos help with the process," Ms. Chandler shares.

NEWS FROM THE ROGERS HIGH SCHOOL HUB

Mark Ferrell, Hub Director

Junior Achievement of Northwestern Ohio (JA)

is the Lead Partner

Our brand new Hub director at Rogers, Mark Ferrell, hit the ground running by building a partnership with Rogers Special Education students to update and organize the Hub’s Community Closet. The students are building skills in organization and management, while also supporting an important school resource. Mr. Ferrell will focus on building relationships with new and potential partners, and Rogers staff, students, and families.

NEWS FROM THE SCOTT HIGH SCHOOL HUB

Joe Peterson, Hub Director

New Concepts is the Lead Partner

Scott High School made The Blade for its work around attendance: Scott students and perfect attendance

Joe Peterson, Scott Hub director, also shares that "in the spirit of gratitude and community support," the Scott Hub partnered with the Teamsters National Black Caucus (TNBC) to provide Thanksgiving meals to families in the nearby community. The result? More than 100 families enjoyed a bountiful feast, each receiving two whole chickens and all the fixings for a memorable Thanksgiving dinner. Mr. Peterson writes: "In the true spirit of Thanksgiving, the TNBC's generosity has inspired us all to look out for one another and build a stronger, more connected community. Their dedication to making a positive difference is a testament to the power of collective action and its profound impact on the lives of those in need."

This month, we would like to recognize the members of the TPS Communications Department for their investment in our Hubs. Mary-Beth Matthews is the wizard behind Hub Happenings (with a nearly 80 percent open rate... thank you!), who also serves as a critical advisor on the Hubs Strategy Council and in our monthly Hub leaders' meetings. Rob Wiercinski and Josh Lake have increased the visibility of our Hubs in the media, on social media, and on our TPS website. Finally, Patty Mazur ensures our Hubs are aligned with TPS priorities and clears the path for us to continue to build momentum through increased visibility. We are so grateful for their efforts!

DID YOU KNOW ...

Each quarter, Hub directors submit data that provides a quantitative backbone to all of the great narrative that best captures the impact of our Hubs? You can find a summary of this data from the first quarter (July through September) here. For more information on Hub impact measures, contact Gayle at glake@tps.org.

Schools as Community Hubs launched in Toledo in 2012 as a way of organizing resources to meet the needs of students, families, and residents in the neighborhoods surrounding our schools. Currently, TPS has six full-service community schools that promote academic success, foster health and well-being, and facilitate family and community engagement - and we're exploring two more. To learn more, visit our website to explore our FAQs and other helpful resources. Schools as Community Hubs is funded in part by Toledo Public Schools, and its lead partners: New Concepts, Pathway 4 Successful Leadership, The Art Tatum Zone, and YMCA/JCC of Greater Toledo.

For more information on Schools as Community Hubs, contact Gayle Lake at glake@tps.org.