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Palm Beach Post: "Community partnership schools help economic development"
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Lakeland Ledger: "Community school initiative moving ahead in Polk"
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Lakeland Ledger: "Crystal Lake Elem to become community school in Polk pilot program"
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Lakeland Ledger: "Hagan to oversee community partnership school"
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Bay News 9: "Crystal Lake Elem opening as 1st community partnership school in Polk"
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Polk County Public Schools: Crystal Lake Elementary Reaches Important Milestone; Becomes UCF-Certified Community Partnership School
CPS in the News
About Crystal Lake Elementary,
A UCF-Certified Community Partnership School
Location: 700 Galvin Dr. Lakeland, FL 33801
In 2017, Crystal Lake Elementary was selected to host the first community partnership school program in Polk County. Following a model set by the University of Central Florida, Crystal Lake Elementary serves as more than a place for academics. The school also offers students, their families and the surrounding neighborhood access to a variety of education, healthcare and social service resources.
What Makes them Unique?
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Collaborative Model: Partnering with multiple organizations and shared governance.
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Long-Term Commitment: 25-year agreements ensure stability and lasting impact.
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Community Involvement: Local engagement and commitment, including a 25% local match.
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Accountability: Proven methods for measuring success and continuous improvement.
What are the Core Principles?
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Long-Term Partnership: Focus on sustainable, lasting relationships.
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Education First: Prioritizing the needs of students and their educational success.
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Culture of “Yes”: Encouraging a positive, solution-oriented environment.
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Unified Team: Collaboration between all partners and community members.
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Needs-Driven: Focused on meeting the specific needs of the community.
What is a Community Partnership School?
Community Partnership Schools are designed to help students succeed both in school and life. These schools support students from low-income, Title I communities who often face significant challenges, such as:
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Poverty
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Limited access to healthcare
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Exposure to violence or crime
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Substance abuse
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Hunger
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Abuse or neglect
By addressing these challenges, Community Partnership Schools focus on meeting students’ holistic needs, helping them stay engaged in their education and build a successful future.
What do they offer?
Each school tailors its services to meet the specific needs of its community, but common resources include:
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On-site health and wellness services
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After-school programs
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Parent resource centers
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On-site food pantries
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Counseling
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Leadership development
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Cultural enrichment activities
Our Core Partners
Timeline
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Fall 2016 Polk Vision assembled an Exploring Community Schools Team
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July 2017 Crystal Lake Elementary chosen to pilot the first Community Partnership School in Polk County
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2017-2018 Core Partners Commitment and Director hired
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2018-2019 First Year of Implementation of the CPS Model
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2021-2022 Certification Readiness Assessment
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October 14, 2022 Crystal Lake Elementary, A Community Partnership School became a UCF Certified Community Partnership School
Meet Our Director Andrea Hagan
Andrea Hagan is a native of Pennsylvania and moved to Florida in 1986. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Elementary Education from Southeastern University. She has over 30 years of combined experience in social services, serving children and families in both the areas of nonprofit faith based and community based care in Central Florida. Throughout her professional career, Ms. Hagan has worked in the areas of emergency shelter care, maternity care, foster care, adoption, and prevention. She joined Heartland for Children in June of 2010 as a Prevention Specialist and currently serves as the Director of Community Partnership Schools at Crystal Lake Elementary School, the very first Community Partnership School in Polk County. Ms. Hagan has a passion for serving others and building strong families and community.
Desk: 863-499-2966 x 433 | Mobile: 863-221-6844
Email: ahagan@heartlandforchildren.org | andrea.hagan@polk-fl.net
