Catholic Charities School Programs Support Students, Families

Archdiocese News | September 4, 2026

Staffers (at right) from the Community Schools team at Catholic Charities talk about their services to parents at Parkville Community School in Hartford last week during a back-to-school event planned by Catholic Charities. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Story by Scott Griffin

Starting a new academic year brings excitement, but it can also bring new challenges. Thankfully, the Community Schools programs offered by Catholic Charities at three Hartford schools are ready to step in and help students and their families meet those challenges and succeed.

Through this vital partnership with Hartford Public Schools, offered at no cost to families, Catholic Charities serves as a daily, visible expression of the Archdiocese of Hartford’s commitment to community care and service. The program provides a continuous hand of support to ensure every student and family starts strong and keeps growing all year long at McDonough Middle School, Milner Middle School, and Parkville Community School.

Community Schools Director Nick Lebron said the approach is to look at the whole child and build a cohesive unit around them that includes family members and people who are close to them. He said each person has goals and responsibilities to help the scholar succeed. One might focus on ensuring the child gets to practice on time, while another deals with behavior.

“It’s a team effort,” he said. “And we call the team around each child their ‘all-star team.”

Community Schools team members work not only with students at Parkville Community School in Hartford but also with their families to ensure success. SUBMITTED PHOTO

The initiative grounds its work in four core pillars:

The BAG Program (Behavior, Attendance, Grades): An incentive-heavy model where scholars earn rewards for demonstrated improvement in attendance, academics, and behavior. Scholars who meet their goals can even earn a Friday night pizza dinner for their household, boosting a child’s confidence as they realize their hard work helped feed their family.

On-Site Clinical Services: Licensed clinical social workers provide convenient, accessible mental health support at schools using the evidence-based CBITS (Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools) model for students in grades 5–12, removing transportation or scheduling barriers for busy families.

Parent Support Services: Parent support coordinators offer year-round workshops on financial literacy and parenting skills, while operating permanent on-site food pantries at McDonough and Milner middle schools to combat food insecurity.

The CHILL Spot: An afterschool program centered on Caring and Creativity, Healthy Habits and Humanity, Ideas and Innovation, and Love of Learning. Staffed by social work professionals, it provides a safe space for social-emotional learning and enrichment.

By blending classroom support, mental healthcare, family assistance, and afterschool programs, Catholic Charities puts faith into action in the schools. To learn more about Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford and the Community Schools program, visit ccaoh.org/schools.