School Partnership
Regularly falling below the national average in spending-per-pupil, the state of California continues to fail to deliver adequate funding for its public school system, particularly in recent recessionary periods. In addition, federal mandates like No Child Left Behind have had a narrowing effect on the children’s overall educational experience, making the role of partnership of school and community-based organizations, including congregations, increasingly important.
GUM serves to build bridges between local congregations and public schools by establishing relationships, facilitating meetings, and developing opportunities for churches to partner with school principals and staff to serve the needs of their students. For example, congregation members work directly with teachers, through the GEMS tutoring program, to ascertain specific needs and challenges of particular students. Also, congregations provide school-wide dental screening and hygiene education.
From our latest newsletter…
Demitria Gallaread writes: “I am not a public speaker. But this past year, I have had the opportunity to work with GUM to develop a presentation on the city’s health programs, Healthy SF and SF Health Plan. I have given two presentations…at both events I inevitably experienced a turning stomach, a rapidly pounding heart…The feeling of inadequacy was not a dull pain but a jarring throb…”