2020-21 Annual Report | Lehigh Valley Community Schools Network

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Highlights:

Highest summer learning enrollment in three years
Improved parent and family engagement
All-time high student and family stability rates

Food Assistance:

Throughout the year, Community Schools remained key sites for breakfast and lunch distribution as districts expanded free meals to all youth aged 18 and below. 

Thanks to Second Harvest Food Bank and other community partners, Marvine Elementary School in Bethlehem Area School District provided families with food yearround. They expanded their food pantry by creating a “Mobile Market” in collaboration with the Northside Network of Community Schools, distributing food to families from Lincoln Elementary, William Penn Elementary and Northeast Middle schools.

In Easton Area School District, Paxinosa Elementary School hosted highly attended, outdoor events in which fresh fruits and vegetables were distributed each week. As word traveled, the school started to see many families returning on a weekly basis, and this trend has remained consistent. 

Family Engagement:

Hosting events and teacher conferences in the virtual environment proved to foster greater engagement among parents and families. Even with fewer events offered, schools reported significant increases in the numbers of parents and families participating. In Allentown School District, Roosevelt Elementary School reported an all-time high engagement rate with 88% of families attending virtual activities. In nearby Hays Elementary School, a Black History Month virtual event drew more than 200 attendees, as they focused on the book Hidden Figures and featured a STEM activity where students created their own space capsule. 

Student and Family Stability:

In high-need schools where families often move frequently, schools reported that more students than ever stayed in the same school for the entire year. In Allentown School District, Sheridan Elementary School’s stability rate increased to 93.6% while Central Elementary School’s jumped to an all-time high of 90.3%. School staff attributes this increase to the eviction moratorium along with connections to housing and basic needs supports that reached almost every family in the school.