A lot of schools talk about partnering with community-based organizations, but too often those relationships stay at the surface. If we want to truly expand access and support students well, we need to rethink how we approach this work. It means showing up differently, being consistent, and being willing to change. In this session, we will share how Stevenson and Oliver Scholars are working together to build a deeper, more thoughtful partnership. We will talk honestly about what we are learning, what has worked so far, and what we are still figuring out. Our goal is not to present a perfect model, but to open up a conversation about what meaningful collaboration can look like between schools and CBOs. We will also share about the importance of building local relationships and how this model can be used in our own community and beyond.

What attendees will take away:

• Tools to reflect on their school’s posture toward partnership Ideas for building trust with both national and local organizations
• A better sense of what CBOs need from school partners
• Honest stories from both sides of a school-CBO relationship
• A reminder that it is okay to start small, but it is not okay to stay passive