Eric Dick believes that schools are not islands but rather integral parts of the communities they serve. He recognizes that strong partnerships between schools, families, and community organizations are essential for creating supportive, enriching environments that enable all students to thrive.
Dick wants to see more opportunities for authentic family engagement in the education process, from early childhood through high school graduation. This could include initiatives like home visits, family literacy programs, or parent education classes that help families support their children's learning at home. It could also involve creating more welcoming, culturally responsive school environments that make all families feel valued and included.
Recognizing that schools cannot meet all of students' needs alone, Dick supports partnerships with a wide range of community organizations and service providers. This could include collaborations with health clinics, mental health agencies, youth development programs, arts and cultural institutions, as well as other entities that can provide enriching experiences and support for students and families.
Dick is particularly excited about the potential of community schools, which bring together a range of academic, social, and health services to support the whole child and family. By providing access to services like health screenings, dental checkups, counseling, and adult education classes, community schools can help mitigate the impact of poverty and other barriers to learning, creating a more level playing field for all students.
Dick also believes in the importance of fostering strong relationships between schools and local businesses and industries. By partnering with employers to provide internships, apprenticeships, and other work-based learning opportunities, schools can help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the workforce while building a talent pipeline for local economic development.
To support these partnerships, Dick believes in the importance of creating dedicated staff positions, such as community school coordinators or business liaison officers, who can facilitate communication and collaboration between schools and their community partners. He also wants more funding and resources for partnership development, evaluation, and sustainability.
Ultimately, Dick believes that by fostering solid school-community partnerships, we can create a more integrated, holistic approach to education that supports the success and well-being of all students and families. By leveraging our diverse community's unique strengths and resources, we can build a more equitable, thriving Harris County for generations to come.