MUSD Community CAFE Brings Together Businesses, Faith Partners & Schools

The Marana Unified School District hosted its third Community CAFE for its 20 schools and the MUSD Family Resource Center at the Dove Mountain Highlands Grill. A Community CAFE - CAFE stands for Community and Family Engagement - brings together businesses, faith-based partners, parents, PTOs, community advocates, school staff, and administrators to identify needs and gaps on campuses, and find solutions together.

Working with businesses, faith-based partners, parents, and community advocates, school leaders explored ways to support each other, their students, and staff throughout the school year. The ideas brainstormed were tailored to each school's needs and included tackling absenteeism, restocking snack pantries, expanding mentorship programs, growing parent involvement, increasing event volunteers, and more. It was a packed room, with 125 guests in attendance. Every school left with new ideas to strengthen its campus.

MUSD launched its Community CAFEs three years ago to strengthen school communities by inviting businesses and faith-based partners in.

"Our business, faith, and community partners are key in helping us support our schools where they need it most, and for each school campus it looks different. Many public K-12 schools rely on these partners to supplement their efforts in ways that make a school a wonderful place to be," said Alli Benjamin, Director of Public Relations & Community Engagement. "Our partners help in so many ways, including donating hundreds of shoes, building young readers' home libraries, celebrating seniors safely on Grad Night, building tortoise habitats and community gardens, and more. Strong community relationships have always been a foundation of Marana Schools, and it continues today."

Special thanks to Twin Peaks K-8 choir teacher Wendy Hays and the TPK8 6th and 7th grade choir students for helping open the event with a beautiful performance of the National Anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Special thanks to Arizona Communications Experts, the event's sponsor, and Faith that Works Tucson, who provided the table centerpieces that doubled as thank-you goody bags for each attendee.

If you are interested in participating in future Community CAFEs, contact the Director of PR & Community Engagement: a.v.benjamin@maranausd.org.