The Pueblo Chieftain: The case for community schools
When Pueblo City Schools (D60) teachers ended their historic strike last year, school board president Barb Clementi had this to say: “Today marks the start of a new beginning through which we can work together to benefit all students and move forward with budgeting and bargaining cycles that will allow us to build the truly collaborative partnership we all need and want.”
It sure sounded like Clementi was offering the proverbial olive branch, raising hope for a new era of cooperation between the school district and the teachers’ union. A year later, that hope seems a bit dimmer.
The Pueblo Education Association, the union which represents the teachers, is calling on D60 officials to embrace the “community schools” concept. Community schools – which rely on strategic partnerships to address a full range of children’s academic, financial, emotional and physical needs – are gaining popularity in school districts across the country.

