Dr. Joseph Fantigrossi
BOCES 2 Regional Community Schools Coordinator Dr. Joseph Fantigrossi received the Chuck Cuminale Youth Advocate Award in September from The Center for Youth. The award is given to community members who exemplify Cuminale’s deep commitment to youth, and his and The Center’s philosophy that everyone is a valuable person worth time and support, no matter the circumstances.
Fantigrossi guides nine local school districts in forging deeper relationships with community agencies and government departments. He works with both Monroe One and BOCES 2 component districts: Brockport, Churchville-Chili, East Irondequoit, Gates Chili, Greece, Hilton, Rush-Henrietta, Spencerport, and West Irondequoit.
Some of the biggest concerns in districts are meeting basic needs, such as food security, housing, and health needs. School districts can’t provide everything, but they can partner with various agencies to offer services, such as mobile mammograms or dental clinics on-site. If a district purchases the Regional Community Schools Services CO-SER through BOCES 2, it will utilize the community schools strategy to function as a hub of services for its students and families. Districts assess what their assets and needs are for their students. “I help them find partners to meet those needs,” said Fantigrossi. “I also want to help districts pare down any duplication in services so that resources are streamlined. I want district staff to be aware of what is available and have confidence in referring people to those resources.”
Schools utilize a tiered intervention system, known as Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), to effectively match students with interventions that meet their needs. After students’ needs are assessed, using quantitative and qualitative data, an intervention team selects practices to address those needs. “When determining what practices to use, different options are explored; they can be research-based, restorative, and reflect the culture of the school community, whatever meets their needs,” he said.
The key practices behind Community Schools are as follows: collaborative leadership, shared power and voice; expanded and enriched learning opportunities; rigorous, community-connected classroom instruction; a culture of belonging, safety, and care; integrated systems of support; and powerful student and family engagement. In addition to the work being done through the Regional Community Schools CO-SER, Fantigrossi also directs the Community Schools Coalition of Monroe County, which counts over 100 agencies, government departments, institutes of higher education, and K-12 schools amongst its members. In just over two years, the number of districts using this strategy in Monroe County has gone from two to 10, and 42 school buildings are now utilizing the principles to create collective impact in their communities.
(From left, award recipients Dr. Joseph Fantigrossi, BOCES 2 regional community schools coordinator, and Kelly Sperduto, Greece Central School District director of community schools; and Paul Clark, The Center for Youth director of operations and administration.)
