Tumwater Community Schools
Community Schools provides wrap-around support to K-12
students and families to enhance academic success, social
and emotional wellbeing and overall health. Our goal is to
improve attendance and graduation rates among all students,
including those further from educational justice.
TOGETHER!’s Community Resource Centers in
Tumwater schools, staffed by Community Schools Managers,
have provided critical support resources including
homelessness prevention/rapid rehousing assistance district
wide, helping remove barriers and enhance quality of life for
hundreds of students and their families year after year.
“The Tumwater Community Schools partnership with TOGETHER! has become an essential part of our mutual effort to support students and families facing challenges in their lives which impact the ability to learn…Thank you to the entire TOGETHER! organization for the important work you do in support of children and families!" -Former Key Partner John Bash (former Tumwater School District Superintendent)
How does Community Schools Work?
Each location where TOGETHER! works hosts a Community Resource Center. At these centers, kids and families can work closely with a case manager and school staff to meet needs, including:
- Food support
- Academic support
- An adult to talk to
- Hygiene and basic needs
- Rental assistance
- Connection to our Host Homes program for unaccompanied youth
- 1-1 case management
- Medical & health resource navigation
- Legal resource navigation
And so much more!
The in-school Community Resource Center is a space for students to decompress, talk to a safe adult, get help or resources, or grab a snack.
Our Club House students in the North Thurston School District also have access to Community Schools resources. For more information, contact the Bilingual Family Support Liaison.
Community Schools Rental Assistance Program
An important piece of the work our case managers do is to help families facing a housing crisis through our Community Schools Rental Assistance Program. We help cover the costs of rent or other needs so the kids we work with are able to focus on school instead of where they will sleep.
Families seeking assistance can contact the Community Schools manager at their child’s school.
FAQs
Q: What schools are individual Community Schools team members serving these days?
A: We have case managers in-house at Tumwater Middle School, Tumwater High School, Black Hills High School, and Cascadia High School.
Q: Which schools are rental assistance program support only?
A: All Tumwater schools. Any Tumwater School District family is eligible to request and receive (if funding is available) rental/utility assistance.
Q: Are you school/district employees?
A: No. Community Schools Managers work at TOGETHER! – a local non-profit that supports the education and well-being of young people. Our case managers work closely with school and district employees to ensure students receive the supports they need to succeed at school and in life.
Q: Are you available only during the school year?
A: No. Our program operates all year-long and is available to support families and students throughout the school breaks, including summer.
Q: Do you host free health clinics?
A: We host 2 annual heath clinics & resource fairs. In May, we offer a free Sports Physical Clinic. In September, we offer a free immunization clinic. We partner with local health clinics & agencies to offer these services to the Tumwater community.
Q: Who do I call if there isn’t a Community Schools Manager at my child’s school?
A: contact your school counselor and they may be able to connect you with our services.
Q: Where can I drop off clothes or snack donations?
A: you can deliver it to the schools (Tumwater Middle School, Tumwater High School, Black Hills High School, and Cascadia High School.) or to the TOGETHER! office in Tumwater.
Contact
Director of Tumwater Community Schools
Tumwater Community Schools Manager: Black Hills High School
Tumwater Community Schools Manager: Tumwater High School
Brianna Smith (she/her)
Tumwater Community Schools Manager: Cascadia High School
Tumwater Community Schools Manager: Michael T. Simmons Elementary, Tumwater Middle School, Bush Middle School
Alton Hodges (he/him)
Key Partners
Our work helping kids and families would not be possible without the partnership with Tumwater School District and City of Tumwater, as well as countless individuals and businesses.
If you want to partner with us for an event, to donate, or to host an unaccompanied youth, please reach out to our Director of Community Schools.