LHS one of sixteen Community Schools

Littlerock – In 2019, Littlerock High School was rated as “high need” and joined fifteen other schools in the County as a Community Schools site.

The Community Schools Initiative launched in September 2019 and is successfully underway at 16 high schools across the County that serve as hubs for a range of support services for students and their families.

The strategic elements come together to direct the following actions:

• Targets secondary students in school districts with highest needs

• Reduces mental health stigma and social isolation

• Brings resources to the school

• Provides community bridging opportunities

Each campus is provided with a full-time program specialist to coordinate services from participating agencies and a full-time educational community worker to support parent engagement. The immediate focus is on providing County resources for integrated student supports, as well as expanded learning opportunities for youth. The long-term goal is to meaningfully engage families and community partners through a collaborative process and to enrich the curriculum through a focus on college and career preparation and teaching and learning.

The Community Schools Initiative is a strategy, not a program; a strategy that brings together all the elements that result in successful schools, while programs provide steps and/or resources. As a strategy, the Community Schools model provides the elements that have proved successful while encouraging schools to customize their implementation to meet the needs of their communities.

At Littlerock High School Amora Coles and Janet Flores are contacts for the newly established LHS Parent Resource Center. The Littlerock High School Parent Resource Center is part of the Los Angeles County Office of Education Community Schools Initiative. The goal is to create a space where parents can get involved, receive support, and gather resources.

Littlerock High School (LHS) now has an opportunity for students and their families to “shop” for clothing at their own Lobo Closet on the Littlerock High School Campus.

Amora Coles explained, “We started planning the Parent Resource Center in July of 2021. Once students returned, we wanted a space for parents to go and gain resources and receive training.” It is an idea that has evolved into a for-real beginning to provide a closet stocked by people in the community who will donate clean gently used clothing and shoes for Littlerock High School students and their families who need a little assistance. Even if it appears to be a store, there is no charge to students and their families selecting clothing items from the Lobo Closet.

To donate or inquire about how to donate, please contact Amora Coles at 661-944-5209 X196 or email Amora at coles_cherie@lacoe.edu. You can also contact Janet Flores, Educational Community Worker, flores_janet@lacoe.edu. Janet’s number is 661-944-5209 X184.

In this wonderful Center there are also numerous donated items of non-perishable food, a washer and drier for cleaning clothes when families do not have laundry facilities where they are housed, a refrigerator to safely store perishable food items and various household supplies.

The Center will be a central place for parents to attend training and workshops. Furniture is in place for groups of parents to assemble in comfort and privacy to discuss needs and gain information on resources that are available. Janet Flores will be contacting you. Janet stated, “I will be using a variety of marketing strategies to inform the community and for reaching anyone who wants to attend. I really love what I do. I love helping parents in the community.”

Littlerock High School is a Community Schools site partnering with County agencies and non-profits to bring support to the school and to be a hub for resources. A call or a visit to the Center will provide you with information and answer questions.

Are you on Facebook? Here is where you can go to keep apprised of the services and activities: (4) LHS Parent Resource Center | Facebook

Other on-line information sources:

Parent Resource Center (google.com)

LACOE > Community Schools > Community Schools Initiative > About Community Schools

By Shirley Harriman