Relationship-Centered Schools: Towards Belonging for All

What would schools look like if every student, faculty, staff member, parent/guardian, and community member felt like they belonged in schools? What would it look like if schools prioritized supportive, caring relationships in school right alongside academic rigor?

If we were to prioritize both those things, we would see all students in the school are known and connected to at least one adult in school. All families would be engaged and prioritized in the school community. Teachers would be setting high academic standards and building supportive relationships with students, and administrators would be transforming school culture to that everyone belongs and there is a culture of community. Students would be prepared with experiential learning opportunities outside the school walls, and actively building the social capital they need to succeed.

MENTOR’s Relationship-Centered Schools initiative works with schools and districts in a data-driven, consultative process that centers student voice. Beginning with a structured Landscape Analysis that uses existing data and Relationship Mapping and allowing school communities to set priorities and action plans to achieve progress, MENTOR IR works with a diverse school team to engage in an intentional strategy that supports overarching school goals and improves student’s well-being. In the short term, Students gain experiences, skills and relationships that promote their success, and schools improve their climate and culture.

Relationship-Centered schools focuses on nine components that support systemic change for schools, as well as individual outcomes for students. More than just a mentoring program at a school, this process includes school policies and procedures, school climate, continuous evaluation, along with services and experiences to students like mentoring, after-school programming, social capital training, and experiential learning. Together, these provide the foundations of whole school advancement of relationship strategies.

This year, MENTOR IR is excited to be a part of a national cohort of MENTOR Affiliates who are piloting this Relationship-Centered Schools process. Together with our sister affiliates MENTOR California, Mass Mentoring Partnership, MENTOR Minnesota, MENTOR Nebraska, MENTOR New York, MENTOR Rhode Island, Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern PA, and MENTOR Virginia will work alongside 14 districts and reach tens of thousands of students through this effort. We’re grateful for the leadership of MENTOR National as we embark on this exciting work.

More to come on our work here in Philadelphia!