How We Work

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about us

How WE work

Barriers to equitable education impact our whole community and can’t be solved in a classroom alone. Through collaborative relationships CEB connects our students, families, and schools with a network of partners to overcome systemic barriers that hold back our most vulnerable children. We foster authentic relationships and integrate the community in everything we do. CEB is an integrated ecosystem that promotes thriving families, drives student success, and supports quality schools.

Opportunity is EquityAccessParticipationRights

Needs

The Challenges

Stakeholders

Stakeholder supports (parents, coaches, teachers, counselors, pastors, friends) are disjointed

Funding

Funding is not sufficient to support students living in poverty

Information

Collecting important data across all stakeholders is near impossible

Benchmarks

Current readiness goals and benchmarks are unclear and adult-centered

Resources

Schools do not have the resources, expertise, or capacity to do it alone

Pathways

Personalized and differentiated pathways to success are elusive

What We Work to Achieve

Every Student Graduates.

Every student is successfully engaged in college, skills training, and/or a career one year after graduation.

Families are financially, mentally, physically, socially, and occupationally thriving.

OUR WORK

Building a Better Future

Preparing students for a successful post-secondary life involves CONNECTING supports, families, students, school, and community

IF WE...

  • Provide students with opportunities enjoyed by their more privileged peers
  • Provide direct supports to students and their families
  • Focus on the holistic wellness of the student and family
  • Help schools focus on teaching and learning
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PE in the Atrium 3

THEN WE SEE:

  • Families empowered to support children in school and beyond
  • Students prepared to succeed and thrive in life after school

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HOW WE see the world

Transform lives through equitable education opportunity.

VISION

Provide an educational support system that allows every child an equitable opportunity to succeed.

Mission

HISTORY

The CEB Story

Our building was owned and operated by MBNA Bank as their call center. Prior to that, this site has been home to many things, most importantly, it was home to Public School #5. It was first built in 1876 as a school for white children. In 1923, it became a school for African American students. The building was demolished in 1981 and rebuilt by MBNA in 1997.
Bank of America acquired MBNA in 2006 and in 2012 donated the building (referred to as Bracebridge IV) to the Longwood Foundation. The Longwood foundation created a new 501(c)(3), the Community Education Building and guaranteed a $40 mm loan to renovate the bank into a shared space for schools. CEB opened in 2014-2015 school year with two schools. Kuumba Academy moved its K-5 school from Market Street and at the same time expanded to a K-8 school. Academia Antonia Alonso moved in as K-2 school. Academia left after the 2014-2015 school year.
Great Oaks joined in 2015-2016 school year with 6th grade and has grown a grade each year since. Great Oaks has decided to phase out its middle school and concentrate on building a quality high school.
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