SheridanElementary School

Sheridan Elementary Becomes the Lehigh Valley’s Newest Community School

Sheridan Elementary Becomes the Lehigh Valley’s Newest Community School
Posted on 03/30/2021

Allentown, PA (March 29, 2021)- Approximately 600 students and their families will reap the rewards of increased services and support as Sheridan Elementary becomes a Community School. Lead partners Allentown School District, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV) and Communities In Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania (CISEasternPA) announced the union today, bringing the total to 31 Community Schools. 


Community Schools help level the playing field for schools with a higher poverty rate by organizing programs and services in one central place for students and families. These programs and services connect families to basic essentials, implement student health initiatives, deliver career services, coordinate after-school and summer programs, effectively empowering parents to strengthen their role as partners in education. 


“Sheridan Elementary becoming a Community School marks a new chapter in our strategic alignment with the leadership of the Allentown School District,” said Jill Pereira, Vice President of Education & Impact, UWGLV. “We seek to demonstrate our commitment to equity, and adding Sheridan as a Community School allows us to serve students, families and the community through this model.” 


CISEasternPA provides a Community School Coordinator in every Community School who links families to resources that help provide a safer, healthier, and more stable learning environment. The coordinators establish supports to address unique challenges, such as chronic absenteeism or low reading proficiency. As a result, Community School students have increased reading and math scores and excel in other academic areas.


“Allentown School District and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley continues to expand their collaborative partnership with Communities in Schools and we are excited that Sheridan has been selected as the newest school in the district to become a Community School,” said Thomas Parker, Superintendent, Allentown School District. “The Community School model supports the coordination of services and resources that will positively impact students and their families in a pocket of our community that needs it most.”


“Communities In Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania believes in the power of strategic partnerships, and we are so excited to join efforts with the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and Allentown School District,” said Tim Mulligan, President & CEO, CISEasternPA. “The new Community School at Sheridan Elementary is a win-win for students and families.  Our students, families, and partners welcome this tremendous investment from Bill and Denise Spence.”


Financial support for Sheridan Elementary is provided by former PPL Corporation CEO, William Spence and his wife, Denise. 


“Denise and I believe that there is nothing more important in a child’s life than having access to a good education,” said William Spence, former PPL Corporation CEO and donor. “We felt that partnering with the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, a trusted and highly regarded organization, would provide the oversight and insights needed to ensure that community schools will be successful”


The Lehigh Valley Community School Network serves 18,888 students in Allentown, Bethlehem Area, Easton and Bangor Area school districts. For more information, visit the Community School WEBPAGE or contact Beth Tomlinson, [email protected]


###


About United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley

United Way fights for the health, safety and education of every person in the Greater Lehigh Valley and envisions communities where every person belongs and every person thrives. We strive to achieve this goal by assessing community needs, raising funds, investing in solutions and mobilizing our community to action. For more information, visit www.UnitedWayGLV.org