Community Schools Initiative

Building Bright Futures Together

Mercer Street Friends has served as the lead agency for the Community Schools initiative in Mercer County since 2015. We’re working with parents, teachers, case managers, the School District, and community organizations to support students and help them thrive – not just in academics, but all aspects of a healthy life.

What are Community Schools?

Community Schools are a national model for public elementary or secondary schools that partner with community organizations to create a nurturing place where students can learn and grow.

Parents and community members work together to meet students’ social, emotional, physical, and mental health needs. Often located in underserved urban areas, Community Schools become true neighborhood community centers, leading to better student learning and stronger, healthier communities.

The Community School model organizes the community’s resources around student success, by focusing on:

• Adding student supports
• Expanding learning time and opportunities
• Engaging families and communities
• Emphasizing collaboration

Community Schools in Mercer County

“The Community School program was first established in collaboration with the Trenton Public School District Board of Education in 2015. Since then, it has grown to include six partner schools, including four in Trenton and schools in Hamilton and Ewing as well:

• Luis Muñoz-Rivera Elementary School
• B. C. Gregory Elementary School
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School
• Cadwalader Elementary School
• Antheil Elementary School
• Klockner Elementary School

Our Community Schools are led by strong partnerships between the School District and other community resources. Partners work together to emphasize support for students and families, including parent education and school food pantries; mentoring and emotional support; youth development and enrichment; and referrals for additional services including housing and case management.

Led by Mercer Street Friends Site Coordinators and Case Managers, Trenton Community Schools offer several prominent expanded learning opportunities for students, which are changing the game for students’ educational experiences:

Summer Bridge
This six-week summer program “bridges” the gap between the end of one school year and the start of the next one with grade-specific lessons in math, reading, and SEL (social emotional learning) that keep students’ minds sharp and help prevent the “summer loss.” Students also explore individual interests with a variety of enrichment activities and class trips.

“Love of Literacy” Reading Intervention Program
At both B.C. Gregory and Luis Muñoz-Rivera Elementary Schools, dedicated educators meet with small groups of students four times per week for 30 minutes to help them reach grade-level reading proficiency. Interventionists (loving reading advocates and former teachers from the School District) concentrate on phonetics, comprehension, inferencing, predicting, character traits, and other reading skills.

Limitless Afterschool Opportunities
When the final bell rings, students don’t need to vacate the school building immediately: Afterschool clubs offer opportunities to expand their knowledge in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and the Arts, or grow their athletic and teamwork skills with sports including soccer and basketball.

And every Community School receives the full support of Mercer Street Friends’ services: Access to family support and parent education services are readily available, and each school features a pantry made accessible to students and their families. Pantries offer both shelf-stable food products and everyday household and personal care items, with frequent opportunities to pick up fresh produce, protein, and dairy for nutritious meals for the whole family.

Battling Chronic Absenteeism

Community Schools have a special understanding of the root causes of chronic absenteeism, and work with students and families to improve the issue where it occurs. After the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools, chronic absenteeism rates soared, with millions of students missing 10% or more of the school year. Attendance issues were especially severe in underserved communities, widening educational disparities.

Through collaboration between Mercer Street Friends and the school district, our three Trenton Public Schools have seen significant improvements in student attendance between 2022-2025. Average daily attendance increased by 11%, reflecting stronger student engagement and school connection. At the same time, chronic absenteeism dropped by 19% overall, as we address barriers to consistent attendance.

“One of our seventh graders joined our program for emotional support. She was showing signs of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. She struggled to interact with her classmates and make friends. After working with one of our case managers, this student participates in all the groups we offer (Zones of Regulation, Lunch Small Groups and Girls Group). The hard work of her case manager has led to both increased positive peer interactions and parental involvement. This student ended the second quarter with a 94% semester average! This is a true example of how school engagement leads to increased school integration, connectedness, and academic achievement.”

Luis Munoz Rivera Community Middle School

“After struggling behaviorally in the classroom and at home, one of our student’s behavior improved dramatically. His mother and father have reported drastic change in his behavior when frustrated, and his social skills have progressed. He has been able to sustain friendships with peers, get more involved in after school activities, and less, to almost zero, altercations with classmates that result in punishment in the office. His behavior has led to the result in grade improvement as he has currently made Honor Roll for the third quarter.”

B.C. Gregory Elementary School

“I was asked to provide individual support for a student who was exhibiting difficulties managing her behavior while on the school bus. At the initial intake meeting, the student lacked accountability for her actions and was not engaged in meeting or speaking with her case manager. We began to identify simple puzzles and educational supplements that she could occupy her time with while on the bus, and soon she began seeking out her case manager to make sure she had something to do on the bus. Her grandmother reports that she is noticing the significant improvement in her behavior at home and her performance and commitment to school as well.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School