Gen. Smallwood Full Service Community School
From FY 2000 to FY 2006, the Foundation, in collaboration with its local partner, Tri-County Youth Services Bureau, Inc. replicated a full-service community school at Smallwood Middle School in the Charles County School District. This emergent full-service community school provided academic support, enrichment activities, outreach to families and mental health services to promote student learning and healthy development.
Positive outcomes resulted. A rigorous Eisenhower Foundation outcome evaluation showed that students attending the after-school program had better achievement and peer relations than students who did not participate. Those students who participated more days had better school behavior and academic achievement than the rest.
A parent survey showed that the majority of families perceived Smallwood as offering a supportive learning environment for their children and expressed a high degree of satisfaction with the full-service community school staff and programming.
The support for the full-service community school model to address young student needs extends to the community and to local elected officials. In 2006, the Tri-County Youth Services Bureau, the lead agency, was invited by the Charles County Board of County Commissioners to speak at one of their meetings. The Board fully endorsed full-service community schools and the work of Tri-County and the Eisenhower Foundation to meet the needs of youth in Southern Maryland.