This past Monday, over 100 church coordinators, pastors, school liaisons, and principals from around Metro Nashville Public Schools and Franklin Special Schools District gathered at Nashville First Baptist Church to celebrate United4Hope church/school partnerships for the 2023-24 school year.  Those in attendance shared their biggest takeaway from the school year with a small group, and then we were blessed to hear words of encouragement from FSSD social worker Amanda Morrissey, MNPS chief of staff Hank Clay, and Glencliff Elementary principal, Dr. Julie Hopkins.

Ms. Morrissey, Mr. Clay, and Dr. Hopkins all pointed out that the work of education is not limited to the four walls of the school but is contingent on the involvement of the community. Morrissey talked about her excitement as United4Hope launched in FSSD this year and as she sees partnerships at all eight FSSD campuses starting to take shape. Clay noted that MNPS has received recent attention at Harvard and by the New York Times for exceptional academic improvement, to which he credits the involvement of the community, including faith-based partners. Dr. Hopkins gave a glowing report of the support she has received in her work over the last decade from Fourteenth Avenue Missionary Baptist Church and from Christ Presbyterian Church. Those of us in attendance left not just with tangible examples of church/school partnerships and the outcomes of those partnerships, but also with full hearts, being encouraged and unified in our call to see students thrive and our community transformed.

If your church is looking to launch or re-launch a church/school partnership for the ’24-’25 school year, now is a great time to start discussions! Please reach out, and we will begin dreaming with you about the work to which God is calling you and your church.