We Are A Community School

Information about Community Schools
"Community Schools represent a strategy, not a program."

A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, youth development, family support, health and social services, and community development leads to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities.

Community schools work to achieve and show the below outcomes:
*Children are ready to enter school
*Students attend school consistently
*Students are actively involved in learning and their community
*Families are increasingly involved with their children's education
*Schools are engaged with families and communities
*Students succeed academically​

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Northwood is a Community School through The Y In Central Maryland

​The Y in Central Maryland serves as the lead agency for 20 community schools in Baltimore City, and partners with even more throughout the City and Baltimore County.

​Largely funded by Family League of Baltimore and Baltimore City Public Schools, the Y's Community Schools Coordinators/Directors work with the principal, families and other community stakeholders, to facilitate fundamental supports for students such as access to food, proper clothing, and school supplies which enable students to do what they came to school for in the first place -- to learn.

Watch Our Most Recent Parent Engagement Workshop: 

 Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What grades do you accept?
We enroll Grades K -5.
The student must be currently enrolled in these grades.

Q: What if my child has a sibling, are they both guaranteed enrollment?
We are unable to guarantee enrollment for both siblings.
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Q: Will my child be allowed to walk home?
4th & 5th Grade students are the only students that allowed to walk home alone per our policy guidelines. Please send us an email / send your child with a note letting us know the dates your scholar will walk home.

Question: How does the application process worK?
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You will complete the Interest Form. If your scholar is accepted, they'll receive an acceptance email. If they're aren't, they will be sent a waitlist email.

Q: Why Are there A LIMITED AMOUNT OF STUDENTS allowed in the program?
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With the structure of the program, we are limited to a number of students per grade due to licensing ratios. If one child was accepted and the other wasn't, it was due to the order of the applications and due to the number of spots in the group for the grade level. For example, if you applied for 2 children and one is in the 3rd grade and the other is in the 5th grade, there may have been availability for 3rd grade but not 5th grade or vice versa.

Question: Is the program structured around grade level?
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Yes. The program is structured around grade levels and there are limited spots available per grade level.

Q: Do you have a behavior policy?
Yes please, we have a Behavior Policy. We will first notify the parent, have a conference and discuss a behavior plan for the student.

Q: How does Pickup work?
You will check in with our Hall Monitor and sign your scholar out daily. If the person picking up is on the Authorized Pickup list, they will able to pick up your scholar. If they aren't an authorized pickup. they must show ID at pickup time. 

Q: Why do you check IDs at pickup?
The safety of our scholars is of the utmost importance. Because of this, we have a policy where we check IDs daily.

​Q: How do you communicate with parents in the program?
We use an app called Remind to communicate with all parents. We also use email. When you submit your information, please make sure to list an email that you check frequently.

Q: What if I'm not able to pick up my scholar each day?
If you're unable to pick up your scholar on time each day, we recommend that you send an authorized pickup person that can pick them on time. All Students must be picked up on time daily. 

Q: Are you going to help my scholar with homework? Does your program do tutoring?

 We can make sure that your scholar completes their homework during the Homework Hour.  However, we are not a Homework Help Program so we will not guarantee accuracy. We only allow time for the students to complete the homework.