Rochester community schools build relationships

Gage Elementary, Riverside Elementary, John Marshall High School and Rochester Alternative Learning Center all have resource rooms to provide students with everything they need.

Distress should consider applying for new for you this morning on daybreak.

Four rochester public schools are providing students with resources to fight food insecurity, and provide support in a unique way.

It's a partnership between the united way of olmsted county and the school district.

Kimt news 3'smadelyne watkins joins us live this morning to break down why this program is so crucial to have... especially during a global pandemic.

Good morning madelyne.

Brooke.

I'm told the united way of olmsted county here is the backbone to making these community schools so successful.

But it goes beyond just the school supplies or clothes they provide.

At gage elementary, riverside elementary, john marshall high school and rochester alternative learning center... you'll find resource rooms ?

"*- which is what you're seeing video of.

Inside those rooms are donations that students can have access to if they're in need.

But during my conversation with the coordinator of family and community partnerships, julie ruzek, i learned it goes beyond those rooms. the community schools are a program designed to make students feel comfortable in their own skin, build relationships within the community and provide mental health resources.

Ruzek says they had to shift their services a little bit because of the pandemic and moving forward... they'll continue adapting to "we really need to make sure that we are building trusting, safe relationships with our partners, with students, with staff, with our families, so that we can do the work.

And we can do the work when times are difficult and when stressors are high."

Ruzek tells me during the spring... they used buses that weren't being used for school and turned them into mobile resource centers.

So this year with the hybrid model in place... they're figuring out the best ways to make sure the students can still easily access those resources.

Live in rochester.

Madelyne watkins kimt thank you, madelyne.

As of right now, only those four schools have implemented the program... but we're learning there will be