3 days ago
To help students struggling with poverty, trauma, Milton school looks to community partners
W.H. Rhodes Elementary School is one step closer to becoming Santa Rosa County District Schools' first Community Partnership School.
Leah Harrison, executive director of the Children's Home Society of Florida, said the organization wants to partner with the Milton school in the Panhandle region, which stretches from Escambia County to Jackson County.
'We have identified six to eight high-needs schools statewide, including Rhodes Elementary. We have met with the team there. They are incredible, and we're so excited about the potential partnership,' Harrison said.
Community Partnership Schools funding for the 2025-2026 academic year was awaiting approval from the state legislature, which extended its session through early June. Schools can apply for CPS grants beginning July 14.
Rhodes Elementary opportunity: Community Partnership School changed lives in Pensacola. Can it do the same in Milton?
The Santa Rosa School Board has not approved the measure, but Superintendent Karen Barber said the district will apply for a CPS grant as soon as possible.
'We have been in close communication with Children's Home Society and will be prepared to apply shortly after the grant window opens in July,' she said.
If Rhodes Elementary is selected a CPS, Harrison said the first year an $80,000 planning grant will be used to hire a director this fall to work with the University of West Florida on a needs assessment for the school.
During the first three to five years (after the planning year), the school will receive about $270,000 in grants, annually from the state. After five years, the grants will drop to $120,000 annually.
'We count on a lift from our community partners as the state funding decreases,' Harrison said, adding the director will also establish relationships with Rhodes Elementary teachers and students during that planning year.
If Rhodes Elementary becomes a CPS, it would be the fourth one in this area. Escambia County Public Schools' C.A. Weis Elementary, Bellview Middle and Pine Forest High are all Community Partnership Schools.
Initiated in partnership with Children's Home Society, the University of Central Florida and community organizations to address educational and social challenges in underserved areas, the CPS model offers mentoring, after-school programs, continuing education and health services to students, their families, teachers and community residents.
Community Partnership Schools also benefit from a 25-year agreement and collaboration with four core partners – the lead nonprofit agency (the Children's Home Society, which oversees 31 of the state's 44 CPS programs), a local school district, a secondary education partner (UWF), and a healthcare provider (Community Health of Northwest Florida).
In April, Kacie Reaves, Rhodes Elementary principal, said the school becoming a CPS will be lifechanging for students and parents.
'Around 80% of our kids live at or below poverty level. We have a lot of kids who have been through trauma. We have a lot of foster families. We have a lot of single-parent homes,' she said.
During the 2024-2025 school year, Rhodes Elementary had 740 pre-K through fifth graders, with 626 or 87.2% of those students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
Barber added the Santa Rosa County school district is dedicated to prioritizing student well-being as well as academic success.
'We understand that meeting the basic needs of our students is the critical first step in fostering meaningful learning and growth,' she said. 'By addressing this, we aim to provide a supportive foundation that empowers our students and families to achieve their full potential. Our goal is to have this opportunity available in Santa Rosa County District Schools, as we know this would be a great resource for our students and families.'
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: W.H. Rhodes Elementary prospective Community Partnership School
