Journal #1- Communities in Schools 1

1/22/2019: 9AM - 3PM

1/23/219: 9AM-3PM
1/24/2019: 9AM-3PM
1/25/2019: 9AM- 6PM
Total Number of Hours Worked for the Week: 29
This week was pretty interesting, I was really tested to be taken out of my comfort zone and not

all of it was completely bad. I was actually able to meet people and once I did, I realized that I

had more in common with those people then I thought, in fact I attended a round table this week

and there were people introducing themselves to me because they had already heard who I was.

Tuesday Sandy, Andy (the site coordinator at Baldwin High School) and I all had a meet with the

new principle, just to sort of introduce ourselves to him and assess the needs of the school. I was

moreso just there to observe so I saw it as an opportunity to literally take notes of the needs that

he expressed to us. I personally did not see myself agreeing with all of the needs that Mr.

Flanders saw to be important within the school. It’s not that I didn’t agree with the things that

was saying but I definitely saw more needs for the student’s perspectives then just academic

need. For example, Andy made the statement of there being six ninth grade girls pregnant and

how she was eager to meet them and begin working with them because the sooner she can reach

these girls, the lesser the chances are of them dropping out of school the closer they get in term if

they already have that support established.

Wednesday I attended my very first Board Meeting, sadly I didn’t get the opportunity to meet all

of the board members. They were all dressed up in business suits and rushing from and to

meetings to get to our meeting, it was kind of intimidating but almost an honor to be sitting there

in the presence of such caring people. I wasn’t aware that Communities in Schools had a

partnership with Central Georgia Technical College, where they offer GED to the community, as
 Journal #1- Communities in Schools 2

well as an adult literacy program. This week was a little frustrating in the sense that I have yet to

be given a green light to do anything just yet. Andy and I both would like to partner to bring

back Sequins and Smiles to the high school in time for prom. I ran my part of the plan by my

supervisor, which now that I have had time to reflect is probably part of the reason why I was

given a yellow light. Andy made a good point when she said that sometimes things just look

better on paper, then it sounds for some people.

Friday I was given the opportunity to attend the annual Communities in Schools Site

Coordinators Round Table, I was beyond excited to meet the rest of the site coordinators that

service Baldwin County but also others form surrounding counties. There were coordinators

there from Athens, BenHill, Hancock, Bleckley, Brunswick and also Bibb County. It was a

learning experience for all of us in the room because we were all coming together to discuss the

good, the bad but also the best services that they provide for their kids. There was one

coordinator there that I aspire to be like in life professionally because she came with examples of

how she case manages best at her school, her hacks and the system that she has implemented

within her school to help keep track of the supplies that are given to the kids through

Communities in Schools. Her name is Gretchen and she was from some middle school in the

Cochran- Bleckley area in Georgia, she is so admired and good at what she does that they refer

to Gretchen as the “guru”; she is just that good! I had no idea that children are able to receive

dental, vision and healthcare all through Communities in Schools. I can’t wait to see how the site

coordinators here in Baldwin County implement some of the things they were taught within their

own schools. There are at least 3 new site coordinators and they are really trying to find their

foot at the moment so I most definitely want to be there for that extra support for sure!