During seven years of leveraging community resources and fostering partnerships with key stakeholders, CS² in New Bedford has established itself as a powerful and creative force behind school-based initiatives and stronger linkages to the community. The CS² team has played a pivotal role in a variety of school/community agency collaborations, dropout prevention initiatives, partnerships with local arts and cultural institutions, and joint career development initiatives with the local Workforce Investment Board, the Greater New Bedford One-Stop Career Center, and the local Chamber of Commerce.

Although working in schools, New Bedford’s CS² three Entrepreneurs are actually employed by the City’s Department of Community Services, rather than the School Department. The Entrepreneurs are located at Normandin Middle School (1) and New Bedford High School (2).

New Bedford High School CS2 Initiatives include:

• Pathways to MCAS Success program for high school seniors, and Summer of Work and Learning programs.
• Expanding a tutoring program with UMass Dartmouth to place more college tutors in the school.
• Participating in the Public Relations Committee, Renaissance Committee, and Career Majors Team.
• Community Action Fair – Organizing/facilitating a Community Action Fair to promote civic responsibility and the importance of community volunteerism.
• Dropout Prevention – Collaborate closely with the district’s dropout prevention specialists to increase outreach and community resources for underserved youth. Participates on the Superintendent’s Alternative Education Task Force – a committee formed to assess current programs, gaps in services, and explore alternative education pathways for underserved youth. Helping raise funds for alternative education options for underserved youth.
• Piloting a youth advocacy center located at NBHS for disengaged youth. The Center coordinates a variety of services and supports in an after school setting for youth and parents base on their needs. Activities include academic tutoring, mentoring, job readiness and search skills, certification programs, and more. Working on the development and design of a School & Community Resource Guide and website for youth and parents.

Contact: Jane Jacobsen
Phone: 508.997.4511 X 2469
E-Mail: jjacobsen@newbedford.k12.ma.us
Contact: Lynne LaBerge
Phone: 508.951.7106
E-Mail: llaberge@newbedford.k12.ma.us

CS2 Team Projects

• Community Service Learning (CSL) – Increase the practice of service-learning as a teaching methodology and dropout prevention strategy in the NBPS by offering resources to teachers for CSL classroom projects and re-convening the CSL Advisory Council. The team continues to pursue funding opportunities, facilitate CSL professional development workshops for teachers and organize the annual CSL Celebration.
• Pathways to Success by 21 (P-21) – Co-authored strategic plan for region; contributed to grant writing/marketing for this initiative that supports aligning youth services in Massachusetts - particularly for those young people most at risk.
• Media/Advocacy – Newsletters, appearances on local cable access TV/radio to promote and highlight school programs.
• Develop partnerships with local economic development agencies to complement school curriculum and leverage resources for the school.
• Grants writing

Recent CS² Accomplishments

• In FY07, the CS2 Team secured $234,728.00 in grant funding from the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Greater New Bedford Workforce Investment Board, and the United Way Community Building Mini-Grants Program, for in school and summer programming.
• Professional Development – Facilitated workshops on art, entrepreneurship, and community service learning; provided additional resources and materials for K-12 teachers. Organized and facilitated several workshops including an anti-bullying presentation for NMS administrators. Connecting Youth with Community: a presentation for middle/high school guidance staff; Career and Industry Trends session for high school business teachers and a session by the MA Small Business Development Center and Economic Development Council to help improve and enhance the high school’s Entrepreneurship curriculum.
• Tutoring - CS² formed a partnership with UMass Dartmouth and coordinated the placement of approximately 20 college interns as tutors in MCAS remediation classes at NBHS. Approximately 250 high school students were tutored. Also, in collaboration with the UMass Dartmouth America Reads Tutor Program, 40college tutors were trained and placed into 25 classrooms to tutor 350 Hayden McFadden Elementary school students.
• National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship – Secured funding for Summer of Work & Learningprograms for low-income, at-risk youth. The success of the program led to the incorporation of the course as part of NBHS’s program of studies.
• Kids That Grow Club - Secured funding to establish and sustain a community garden club at Hayden McFadden Elementary School to help young people become good urban gardeners and good citizens by making a positive contribution to their community.
• Diversity Night is an annual event celebrated by Normandin Middle School staff, students, family members, and the community. CS² and GEAR UP coordinate this program.

For information on CS2 in New Bedford:
Contact: Cynthia Wallquist
Phone: 508.997.4893
E-Mail: Cynthia.Wallquist@newbedford-ma.gov

Information about CS2 in Massachusetts may be found on Commonwealth Corporation’s website: www.commcorp.org.