Marissa Ackerman has always worked to bring people together. As a teacher, as a mom, as a Community School coordinator.
Her dedication to the coordinator role led to her being named a Community School Champion during last month’s annual convening of the Maryland Center for Community Schools at Towson University (MCCS).
Community School Champions are coordinators who have helped turn a school into a hub that brings families, communities and partners together. Community schools offer wraparound services — such as access to food and health services— to the families of students which, in turn, aids to remove barriers to learning.
At the March 18 Community Schools conference, five community school coordinators were named a Community School Champion representing different regions in Maryland. Ackerman was the award winner for the Southern region, Christine Frederick and Phi Thach-Seals for central Maryland, Alexis McBean for the Eastern Shore and Megan Knepp for Western Maryland.
“Marissa is a strong, student- and family-centered advocate who consistently works to ensure the needs of the Indian Head community are heard and addressed,” Robynn Mudd, community school coordinator at Glymont Middle School, said. “Her advocacy is both proactive and compassionate, focusing on building trust and long-term relationships.”
New role, more services
Four years ago, when Ackerman took on the role of coordinator, the families of students took a needs assessment to provide feedback on what was missing or sought after in the community. The results found that access to food and health services, as well as afterschool activities for children, were most sought after.
Ackerman got to work developing partnerships and looking for ways to address the concerns churned by the needs assessment. “The first year, my focus was meeting all of our community partners — churches, resource groups, businesses and organizations — that want to give back,” Ackerman said. “Then going about coordinating and plugging in how they can support the school.”
A food pantry was established at the school and operates bi-weekly, manned by volunteers. “The goal is to provide sustainable opportunities for families, so that if my job or funding went away, it will still be able to run,” Ackerman said. “That’s the goal so we aren’t relying on funding, instead we are relying on funds, we are relying on the community.”
It’s a tenant of community schools — the community helping to take care of itself, filling holes and ensuring neighbors aren’t falling through the cracks.
The skill to create and maintain strong relationships is key — it’s a skill that Ackerman has plenty of. “Her ability to build strong community partnerships stand out,” Shane Blandford, principal of Indian Head, said. “Her collaborative approach allows her to work effectively with staff, families and community members, ensuring that supports are aligned and impactful.”
Another need mentioned in the assessment was mental and physical health services in the community. The Dr. Chinnadurai Devadason School Based Health Center opened earlier this month on the Indian Head campus. The center is open to all CCPS students with services like sick, injury and wellness visits, physicals and school health inventories available.
The third most mentioned need was for afterschool opportunities for students. Ackerman worked with staff to offer afterschool clubs and activities that enhance academic achievement. During this school year, a writing workshop was held in the fall to bolster students’ writing skills and this spring clubs focused on interests like gardening, cheerleading, sports and art are being held. Transportation is provided which allows students to remain after school twice a week to attend clubs.
While ensuring necessary wraparound services are offered, coordinators don’t lose sight of an important aspect of a community school.
“Academic success is always the main goal,” Ackerman said. To boost success, she helped bring tutors to the school to work with students four times a week.
Skills that transfer
Ackerman started her career as a teacher but left the classroom to raise her children. It was around the time that message boards were popping up online connecting people with similar interests. Ackerman, then living in North Carolina, started Triangle Mommies, an online forum for parents looking for playdates for their kids, sharing advice and volunteering in the area. The group grew to 4,000 members.
When the family moved back to Maryland — Ackerman and her husband both grew up in Charles County — Ackerman went back into education. She substituted before taking a teaching job at Dr. James Craik Elementary School. She planned to go into school administration. “Then this job popped up,” she said of the role of coordinator. “I read about it and thought it was a really good fit for everything I’ve done over the years and it had an education focus as well.”
Ackerman, who was recently honored with the Town of Indian Head Community Champion of the Year Award, was the second community school coordinator hired by Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) after Andrill Harris, who was the first coordinator at Dr. Sameul A. Mudd Elementary School. Harris was honored as a Community School Champion by MCCS last year.
Ackerman is already looking ahead to the next needs assessment and finding ways to continue to help the community and students. “Every day looks different, there’s always something to do,” Ackerman said. “I love coming to work every day. I really love this job.”
There are more than 600 community schools across Maryland, with 14 in Charles County. Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School was the first Community School location in CCPS with others following. Community schools are at Dr. Mudd, Dr. Gustavus Brown, C. Paul Barnhart, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Eva Turner, Indian Head, J.C. Parks, J.P. Ryon, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy and William B. Wade elementary schools, Benjamin Stoddert, John Hanson and Glymont middle schools and Thomas Stone High School.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,904 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).