The Village spoke in Montgomery County

On Saturday, September 25, 2010, hundreds of people converged on the Montgomery County Community College Campus for what was the first ever Education Summit hosted by the Montgomery Chapter of the PA Human Relations Commission. In attendance were Educators from several School Districts, Parents, Community members, students and members of the CALM Society who attended to learn what we must continue to do to support schools and families in an effort to close the disparities that exist in schools.  Imagine our very pleasant surprise to find that the School Districts and families were looking to us for guidance as the organization has proven in five years that it truly takes a Village and all the stake holders must collaborate to change lives in schools.

Many student leadership and District level programs were presented including “SNAP” in Pottsgrove School District, but Abington’s ‘Opportunities To Learn Initiative” shone above the rest as they removed the tracking system several years ago and allowed all the children an opportunity to take rigorous courses.  The end result has been the markedly decline of a GAP between minorities and their peers.

Not to be outdone, some V.I.B.E. (Voices Involved in promoting Black Excellence) leaders participated in a student voices video and spoke of their work ethic in school along with the supports that surrounds them daily.  It became clear rather quickly that the C.A.L.M. Society, working in conjunction with the School District, has made a rather impressive impact in the lives of these families and we will continue to teach and learn as we move onward into reaching families across the Abington, Pennsylvania and the Nation.