Gainesville For All held general body meeting on Wednesday at Metcalfe Elementary School
Strengthening the relationships between parents, teachers and communities to ensure students succeed academically and in all aspects of development was the focus of a Gainesville For All (GNV4ALL) general body meeting.
"State of public education address"
Alachua County School Board member Leanetta McNealy, Ph.D., was the featured speaker at the meeting held Wednesday in the cafeteria at Metcalfe Elementary School in northeast Gainesville.
In what was billed as a “state of public education address,” McNealy commended GNV4All for its efforts to help improve the school readiness of students of low-income families in northeast Gainesville by establishing the Gainesville Empowerment Zone Family Learning Center that services families with children between the ages of six weeks and four-years old.
The center is located on the Metcalfe Campus at 1250 NE 18th Ave.
“Because of the leadership of teachers, their vision, passion and dedication, the children who leave this site will enter our schools being ready for kindergarten and having the necessary foundation for success for years to come,” McNealy said, referring to the impact the center will hopefully have on the students in serves.
School board priorities
The current priorities of the school board include improving students’ behavior and reading, establishing a strategic plan, transportation, rezoning and attendance, McNealy said.
Schools that need most improvement
Schools that need the most improvement in the district are Idylwild , Lake Forest, Metcalfe, Shell, Rawlings, Terwilliger and Alachua Elementary schools, McNealy said.
Plans to help schools improve
“We are planning to do comprehensive walks through the schools,” she said.
Involving parents more with the education of their children is key to improving student success, McNealy said.
“Parent engagement makes the student have better behavior, increases academic achievement and develops better social skills,” McNealy said. “I implore you to not let parent engagement stop at pre-school.”
Learning center: Open house held at Gainesville Empowerment Zone Family Learning Center on Wednesday
Education top priority of GNV4ALL
Education was chosen as a priority for GNV4ALL “because that is where are heart is,” said James Lawrence, director of the nonprofit organization that was established seven years ago.
Q&A at GNV4ALL meeting
The meeting included a question-and-answer session led by Watson Dunham, an assistant principal at Lake Forest, and Kecia Johnson, physical education teacher at Lake Forest.
“We want to leave here with action steps,” Johnson said.
Topics discussed during the Q&A included the lack of trust parents have in schools, intergenerational healing between schools, parents and students, increasing and retaining teachers; establishing a mentoring program at every school, celebrating students’ small wins, creating restorative programs for healing traumas and hiring more paraprofessionals.
"We're all about systemic change"
“We’re all about systemic change,” Lawrence said. “We believe we achieved a major milestone in August (when the FLC opened). We’ve worked diligently 24/7 to open the center.”
“It’s been a labor of love,” Lawrence said. “It’s about the kids, but it's also about the families.”
He told of stories about a parent changing her lifestyle by attending a Narcotics Anonymous group and talking a mother out of suicide at the center.
“With the help of the center, she finally has people who support her,” Lawrence said. “I’ve been a journalist for over 30 years — nothing surprises me. Being a part of this, I learned that there’s a lot of people hurting. At least we’re starting out this journey to work to make a difference.”
"We're growing together"
“We have a jewel and we need to take care of it so it can be replicated elsewhere.”
Lawrence thanked, Angela Walker, the center’s executive director, for her dedication and commitment to help students and families.
“We’re growing together is our slogan,” Lawrence said. “Both when it comes to the children and the families.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Leanetta McNealy spoke at Gainesville For All meeting Wednesday
