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Office of Community Forward

Our Mission

To remove barriers to learning by assessing strengths and needs, cultivating intentional and collaborative partnerships, and aligning supports to ensure every student, every family, and every neighborhood thrives.

Our Vision

To ensure that students and families thrive and experience opportunity by design.

About Us

The Community Forward initiative is an innovative partnership between the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County Schools, and is designed to ensure students and families have access to resources, relationships, and social support necessary to foster academic and social success. By directly engaging with the community, families, students, teachers, and principals in schools and also in our city community centers, Chattanooga can ensure each child is positioned for success, both in school and in life.

The City of Chattanooga’s Office of Community Forward serves as one of the  lead partner agencies where we staff 8 community forward school coordinators who work directly in the following Hamilton County Community Forward Schools:  Brainerd High School, The Howard School,Tyner Academy, Orchard Knob Middle School, Calvin Donaldson, Hardy, Orchard Knob and Woodmore Elementary Schools. 

Community Forward schools utilize a comprehensive, tailored holistic approach to students and families to provide opportunities and remove barriers to student success. The intentional focus on collaboration and partnerships creates pathways for stakeholders to work together, sharing responsibility for the overall success and wellness of children in Hamilton County.

Education

The Community Forward Coordinators help connect educational resources to  meet the needs of families through:

  • After-school program support
  • Tutoring Opportunities
  • Club and extracurricular opportunities
  • Drives ( i.e.food and clothing)
  • Community Health events
  • Mental Health services
  • Family educational resources ( i.e. HSET, GED and post secondary)
  • Pre-K and Early Learning resources

Community-Building

Engage families and the community in wrap-around service to provide support, academic achievement and success of students with the ultimate goal of creating a lasting community school.

Volunteer or Partnership Opportunities

Community Forward has partnered with various organizations to connect families and community residents with needed resources in the areas of health, education, employment and housing.

There are many opportunities for stakeholders to get involved in serving Community Forward Schools:

  • After-school program support
  • Tutoring Opportunities
  • Clubs and extracurricular opportunities
  • Drives (i.e. food and clothing)
  • School beautification projects
  • Stakeholder appreciation events
  • Sponsorships 
  • Parental engagement

Responsibilities

Our 6 Key Practices:

  • Integrated systems of support
  • Rigorous community-connected classrooms
  • Enhanced learning opportunities
  • Personalized culture of belonging, safety, and care
  • Powerful student and family engagement
  • Collaborative leadership, shared power, and voice

Leadership

JT
Jacqueline Thomas
Community Forward Program Director

Community Forward School Coordinators:

MB
Marcellus Barnes
Hardy Elementary School
LB
Leah Blackburn
Calvin Donaldson Elementary School
MS
Maria Silguero-Clay
The Howard School
CH
Christopher Harris
Woodmore Elementary School
DJ
Don Jenkins
Orchard Knob Elementary School
BS
Bria Sibley
Brainerd High School
DS
Derquazia Smartt
Tyner Academy
TT
Tonya Turman
Orchard Knob Elementary School

Leave Us A Message

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Contact Us

Call
(423) 643-5750 (423) 643-5750
Community Forward Program DirectorJacqueline Thomas