Community School Coordinator 101: What I Wish I Knew in Hindsight
By Coach Bren, Community School Coordinator, Loleta Union Elementary School District
Before I dive in, I want to honor the teachers, coaches, and thinkers who have shaped my understanding of this work. The Be–Do–Have framework comes from my coach of three years, Wendy Amara, who generously shares these concepts without claiming credit and encourages their adaptation in ways that cultivate being-centered leadership. I also draw insight from the work of Brené Brown, Adam Grant, and other scholars and authors like Jim Kwik. I stand in solidarity with my comunidades and the Wiyot People, whose land I currently live, learn, work, and heal on. This piece acknowledges these contributions and releases any intellectual property of frameworks or ways of knowing shared here.
The community school framework can be simple. Simple is kind, and don’t confuse simple with easy.
When I first stepped into this work and role as community school coordinator at Loleta- a rural, single school district, I thought transformation would look like programs and plans. But real transformation lives in people. It unfolds through relationships, trust, and time. We’re learning, together, how to build communities and schools where every student, family, and staff member can experience belonging, agency, and wellbeing.
If I could time-travel back to my first day as a Community School Coordinator, here’s what I’d whisper to my younger self (and maybe to you too):
Transformation takes time.
You’re shifting systems that have been upheld for decades. It’s not an overnight change, it’s a slow, courageous, heart-centered journey. Every connection plants a seed for long-term growth.
Most people, even administrators, won’t fully understand your role.
And that’s okay. You’re not just managing initiatives, you’re weaving relationships across sectors that rarely speak to each other. Keep modeling collaboration, empathy, and clarity.
Clarity and focus go a long way.
You can’t do it all, and you’re not meant to. Decide what truly matters this season, communicate it clearly, and move with intention.
Get a coach.
Find mentors, allies, and affinity spaces where you can be fully seen. Safe space sustains you through the inevitable discomfort of systems change.
Stay connected.
Reach out to your core partners, County Office of Education, your RTAC, your STAC, and yes, your school comunidad, aka students, staff, and families. This network will feed your hope when things get hard.
Use tools to support your work — including AI (hear me out).
In a time when most of us feel at capacity, technology can help lighten the load. AI can support planning, strategy, and deliverables, helping you reach your goals efficiently. AND, it cannot build trust, hold space, or transform systems — those require presence, empathy, and intentional being. Use AI wisely: as a partner to extend your impact, never as a replacement for the relational work at the heart of this role. With AI we can all co-create Wakanda like learning spaces. P.S. Be Kind to AI and use it to support your confident wolf vs your fearful wolf.
Hold a vision.
Know your why. Anchor yourself with purpose so you don’t lose sight of what matters most: students, families, and the promise of thriving, equitable communities.
Practice self-care as strategy.
The health of a system depends on the health of its people. Your rest, reflection, and boundaries are part of your leadership.
Lean into frameworks that center voice and relationship.
Books like Street Data and Pedagogies of Voice remind us that metrics don’t move communities, relationships do. Listen deeply. Honor story as data.
Trust is your greatest tool.
Nothing you design will outlast broken trust. Build relationships with sincerity, from local families to county leaders to state networks.
Lead with courage and curiosity.
Trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and brave leadership are living practices, not checkboxes. Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead, Atlas of the Heart, and Strong Ground are beautiful companions on this path.
The Be–Do–Have–& Share Reflection
As you grow into this role, take a moment now to reflect:
Who do I need to be?
Grounded. Brave. Compassionate. Curious. Someone who remembers that change begins in being, not just doing.
What must I do?
Build relationships. Ask hard questions. Celebrate progress. Keep showing up, especially when the path feels unclear.
What do I hope to have?
Strong, sustainable community school frameworks that nurture belonging, healing, and student success across generations.
And what will I share?
All of it, the good, the bad, and the beautifully messy truths of co-creating change! Share your stories, your lessons, your mistakes, and your hope. This is how we uplift voices that have gone unheard for too long.
May we bring an end to the survival energy that has lingered too long in our schools and open a new chapter, one where students, staff, families, and partners experience the frequency of thriving.
Whether through land-based learning, shared decision-making, or community projects, remember: every act of courage today shapes the wellbeing of those who will walk here seven generations from now. (That’ll be the year 2200- Generation Beta)
My heart centered Call to Action, Take 90 seconds to jot down your intention for this academic year.
Ask yourself: How will my being, doing, having, and sharing create impact today, and seven generations forward?
With heart, solidarity, and gratitude, your fellow Community School Coordinator in the work,
Coach Bren