WALDORF, Md. – Andrill Harris’s office at Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School is crowded with shelves brimming with canned goods, school supplies and toiletries, a whiteboard is littered with notes, times and dates while a student intermittently knocks on the window of the closed office door, waving from the hallway.
Harris — community school coordinator at Dr. Mudd — is the type of person who can thrive in chaos or rather find the calm in it. “Ms. Harris brings a sense of calmness and patience that is truly contagious,” Portia Parker, Dr. Mudd’s principal, said. “She leads with compassion and consistency.”
Harris was recently named a Community School Champion by the Maryland Center for Community Schools at Towson University. The center works with community schools around Maryland to support the initiative while conducting research to understand the impact of program.
During the inaugural Community Schools conference in March, four community school coordinators out of 25 nominees were named a Community School Champion — representing one of four regions in Maryland. Harris was the award winner for the Southern region, Autumn Symons for Western Maryland, Annie Weber for the Central region and Nicole Higgins earned the award for Eastern Maryland.
Harris began her career as a social worker working for the Washington, D.C., government. From there, she worked with Maryland’s Child Protective Service before moving to an organization in the District that does much the same work of the CCPS community school program — striving to provide students and their families with needed resources and support.
Harris first began working with students at Dr. Mudd as a school-based counselor with the Tri-County Youth Services Bureau. When the position of community school coordinator came up, she knew she had to apply for it. “I saw the opportunity and thought ‘That would be great.’ I would still work with students, know the families, know the community and be able to assist and provide more services,” Harris said.
The fit was perfect.
“She transitioned with ease as the Community School Coordinator due to her positive relationships with students and families at Dr. Mudd,” Bethany Goodwin, CCPS community schools, homeless and foster care district coordinator, said.
Dr. Mudd would be home to the first community school when the program launched in CCPS with the 2021-2022 school year.
“As the first Community School coordinator at our school, Ms. Harris paved the way and set the standard for the role,” Parker said. “Because of her leadership, newly hired coordinators across the district have a strong mentor and trusted resource to turn to.”
Wanda Proctor, community school coordinator at J.P. Ryon Elementary School, counts Harris as a mentor. “We all take from her work and her example,” Proctor said. “She is not competitive; she works with everyone to collaborate and bring unity.”
Harris called the work of a coordinator honorable and rewarding. “We see the vision, we get it and want to be part of it,” she said.
What is a Community School
Community schools promote positive, equitable outcomes by providing students and families with physical and mental health, academic and extracurricular supports. Community schools serve as hubs that bring families, communities and partners together to remove barriers to learning.
Maryland continues to prioritize community schools through the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The landmark legislation aims to improve the quality of education for Mayland students and close achievement gaps.
There are more than 600 community schools across Maryland, with 10 in Charles County. While Dr. Mudd’s program was the first in CCPS, others soon followed. Community schools are at Dr. Mudd, Dr. Gustavus Brown, Indian Head, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, J.P. Ryon and Eva Turner elementary schools; John Hanson, General Smallwood and Benjamin Stoddert middle schools; and Thomas Stone High School.
Each community school coordinator works from a needs assessment completed by students’ families. “Each school is different, and each coordinator has different concerns,” Harris said. The assessment ensures families are receiving the resources they need. At Dr. Mudd, one of the issues families had was the need for afterschool activities for their children.
Harris and staff developed an extended learning opportunity — Wise Dragons — that allowed around 100 students to stay after school Monday through Thursday. They received academic support and tutoring, got snack breaks and there was a dinner served once a week. Bus transportation home following the program allowed for families to have care and supervision for their children afterschool when parents may still be at work or unable to keep an eye on them.
Dr. Mudd’s food pantry operates on certain days for families experiencing food insecurity, but Harris will open it when there is a need, no matter the schedule. “In the life of a coordinator, there are no set times,” Harris said.
CCPS Community School coordinators network amongst themselves and other school system staff to aid students their families. If a school needs something and Harris has it, she’ll lend it or give it. If a call goes out to assist a family outside of their school community, there is an “all hands on deck” approach. “We’re all in the CCPS community,” Harris said. “If a PPW, parent liaison calls for help, we’re going to do what we can.”
Coordinators are woven into the communities that support their schools. The names of churches, nonprofits, community organizations are among the riotous scribbling on Harris’s whiteboard — all current or potential partners of CCPS.
“We see what needs to be done,” Harris said of the job of a coordinator. “Building partnerships is always being done.” She attends events and programs being held by community partners often afterschool, evenings and weekends. “It’s not just a ‘take’ thing,” she said. “If they are having an event, I’m attending. I’m giving the support they give me.”
“Community schools is about the community, so you try to encompass everyone, to raise this community up,” Harris said. “Everyone has something to offer, whether they know it or not. They can support, volunteer or connect you to somebody else who can meet the needs of our students.”
To learn more about the community schools program and how to help, visit www.ccboe.com.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).