WESTBROOK CHILDREN’S PROJECT

The Westbrook Children’s Project (WCP) is a collaboration of United Way of Greater Portland, Westbrook School Department, People’s Regional Opportunity Program (PROP) and other interested organizations. The Project’s goal is to help Westbrook children and youth succeed in school and in their community. The WCP is initially focusing on at-risk children in grades K – 2 and their families, because we recognize that to create sustainable change we need to work with children in three inter-related areas: schools, parents and the community.

Children Succeed In Schools

Goal. To increase student outcomes related to school attendance, achievement and attachment, particularly for those most at risk.  For children in grades K – 2, an important aspect of this is participating in classroom learning and decreasing the number of referrals from classrooms to alternative settings.

2010 Results (2011 data is not yet available)

  • Decreased student absenteeism by 51% and 55% (two schools) in the number of target students who were absent 8 or more times
  • Decreased out of classroom referrals for behavioral issues by 19%[1]
  • Increased  number of target students who met performance on reading assessment standards by 35% and 38%

Parents Support Their Children’s Success in School

Goal. To help parents who are working to help their children succeed, through parent education and by linking them with school and community resources.

2010 Results (2011 data is not yet available)

Supported parents and families by:

    • Coordinating a Family Education Series: including renters’ rights events, heating assistance information sessions, financial health workshops, and children’s health sessions.
    • In partnership with many key organizations, helping create and launch Westbrook’s new Summer Lunch Program.  In 2010 the program was expanded to include a community-based open site and served 5,200 meals weekdays from June 21 to August 20, up significantly from 3,762 meals in 2009.  Programming at the site was generously supported by Acadia Insurance and Maine Medical Center.

    Enhancing and coordinating services to parents and families by:

    • Convening and facilitating a monthly Westbrook Providers Group meeting, comprised of social service providers, school employees and interested community agencies such as the police and library.

    Supported Teachers/school staff by:

    • Collaborating with the Maine Parent Federation to deliver parent workshops at schools (e.g., kindergarten readiness workshops at each K-2 school).

    Westbrook Children’s Cabinet

    The Westbrook Children’s Cabinet is an outgrowth of the planning process that led to the Westbrook Children’s Project’s creation.  During that process, participants identified the need for leadership, advocacy and education/outreach on children and youth issues in Westbrook. The Westbrook Children’s Cabinet was formed in fall 2009, and consists of community leaders including the Mayor, Business Leaders, Pediatrician, Superintendent of Schools, School Committee members, City Council Chair, Police Chief, and parents.

    The Cabinet completed a community assessment, including primary and secondary data, and has adopted the Communities That Care model for implementation in Westbrook, a research-based prevention model that has been used effectively elsewhere to reduce risky behaviors by children and youth and increase school engagement.  In June 2011, the Cabinet hired a Project Director to direct Westbrook Communities That Care (‘Westbrook CTC’).   Westbrook CTC will bring interested community members together at a community meeting in September to learn more about the project and how they can get involved.