University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation
The Positive Schools Center (PSC) in an initiative housed within the University of Maryland School of Social Work that partners with school leaders and school staffs to build restorative and supportive schools. The Positive School Center collaborates with school leaders to ensure trauma-responsive educational approaches and restorative practices are integrated into every area of the school by providing training, staff and leadership coaching, direct community supports, and technical assistance.
Building STEPS, Inc.
Building STEPS partners with non-academic-criteria Baltimore City high schools and provides college going support including STEM seminars, summer internship experiences, college workshops, tutoring support, and college counseling. Students are identified by their school counselor and are admitted through an application process. Participating students must meet the 3.0 GPA threshold and have strong school attendance. This grant from the Abell Foundation will enable expansion into the tenth grade in order to provide an additional year of programming to improve foundational math skills, boost SAT scores/college math readiness, and expand college persistence programming.
Higher Achievement Baltimore
The Higher Achievement model provides multi-year, out-of-school programming in the areas of academics enrichment, family engagement, and high school placement support for middle school students in fifth through eighth grades. Each child participating in the program receives around 400 hours of programming. Program outcomes from 2019-2020, yielded 69% of students increasing one letter grade in math or maintaining As and Bs through the second quarter. Through the support of the Abell Foundation grant, Higher Achievement is currently engaging in an expansion plan that seeks to double their footprint by expanding to two additional schools by the Fall of 2022.
Holistic Life Foundation, Inc.
The Holistic Life Foundation (HLF) through its Mindful Moments program provides schools the opportunity to address climate and culture through a multi-tiered approach. The program is currently active in 23 schools and serves 3700 students throughout Baltimore. All students attending HLF schools receive the tier one supports by participating in the daily meditations and engaging in the classroom push in services provided by the mindfulness coaches. The most intensive, tier three students are able to self-refer or be directed by a teacher to report to the Mindful Moments room where they have time and space to decompress, cool down, talk to a caring adult, and ultimately return to the classroom better prepared to learn. The mindfulness practice, forwarded by the Holistic Life team equips students with much needed coping, relaxation, and centering techniques that can be employed universally, both inside and outside of the school setting.
Patterson Park Public Charter School Inc.
Patterson Park Public Charter School is seeking to open a second campus within the Bayview area of Southeast Baltimore on the grounds of the Our Lady of Fatima complex. When at full capacity, Clay Hill Public Charter School (CHPCS) will serve 540 students and their families in Baltimore City. Key activities for phase one of the project include roof repair, window repair, an electrical upgrade, kitchen equipment installation, classroom and corridor improvements, bathrooms and health suite upgrades to become ADA compliant, as well as internet and technology installation. This grant will help with construction costs in preparation for opening of the new charter school in fall of 2021.