Episcopal Community Services Of Maryland

GUIDED BY OUR FAITH AND COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER, EPISCOPAL COMMUNITY SERVICES OF MARYLAND STRIVES TO ADDRESS THE INJUSTICE OF SEVER POVERTY, WHICH IS EMBEDDED IN COMMUNITIES AND DISEMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS.

THE ARK IS THE ONLY STATE-ACCREDITED PRESCHOOL IN BALTIMORE CITY THAT PROVIDES LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING TO THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS WHOSE FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THE ARK OFFERS AN IMMEDIATE SOLUTION FOR FAMILIES WITHOUT THE RESOURCES TO ACCESS TRADITIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES. THE ARK'S CORE SERVICES INCLUDE PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TO CHILDREN WHO DO NOT HAVE REGULAR, SAFE, SECURE, AND/OR ADEQUATE HOUSING. THE ARK'S MSDE-APPROVED CURRICULUM IS TRADITIONAL PLAY-BASED LEARNING, WHICH GOES BEYOND STIMULATING A CHILD'S INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY. EACH NEW ARK STUDENT IS EVALUATED USING THE CHILD ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL (CAP), WHICH PROVIDES AN ACCURATE AND MEANINGFUL EVALUATION OF THE CHILDREN ENROLLED IN A SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY PRESCHOOL SETTING. THE CAP ASSESSES LANGUAGE SKILLS, WORD ACQUISITION, LISTENING AND COMPREHENSION, GROSS MOTOR SKILLS, AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, AND IS PREDICTIVE OF STANDARDIZED TEST RESULTS. THE ARK'S ASSESSMENT AND EDUCATION AND PROGRAM GOES BEYOND STANDARD PRESCHOOL TO PROVIDE ARK CHILDREN WITH SEPCIALIZED SERVICES DURING THEIR ENROLLMENT. STUDENTS ARE MONITORED THROUGHOUT ENROLLMENT TO GUIDE STAFF IN ASSISTING STUDENTS IN REACHING AGE-APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT. TRAINED, DEGREED STAFF AND VETTED VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION TO HELP ENCOURAGE VERBAL DEVELOPMNET AND ENCOURAGE APPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS THAT ARE CRUCIAL TO MORE COGNITIVE SKILS. CHILDREN WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THE ARK LONG ENOUGH FOR TWO ASSESSMENTS (APPROX. TWO MONTHS) DEMONTRATE AT LEAST 22 PERCENT INCREASE IN UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE OF USAGE THAT CAN HELP BUILD A CHILD'S READING ABILITY. IN ADDITION TO PREPARING CHILDREN FOR TRANSITION INTO A PERMANENT SCHOOL LOCATION, ARK STAFF WORK WITH STUDENT FAMILIES TO HELP MOVE THEM OUT OF THEIR CRISIS SITUATIONS. EXPERIENCED STAFF ASSISTS PARENTS IN OBTAINING ACCESS TO SERVICES SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION, HEALTH AND DENTAL INFORMATION, TRANSITION TO PERMANENT HOUSING WITH IN-KIND DONATIONS WHERE NEEDED, TRANSPORTATION FUND AND OTHER SERVICES. WHILE CHILDREN ARE AT THE ARK, PARENTS USE THEIR DAYS TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT BALTIMORE, THE ARK ALSO PROVIDES CRUCIAL INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR STUDENTS SUCH AS FORM INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS (IEPS), DENTAL SCREENING, SPEECH AND HEARING ASSESSMENTS, AND OTHER SERVICES THAT HELP TO OFF-SET HEALTH PROBLEMS AND/OR FUNCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS.

THE CLUB AT COLLINGTON SQUARE IS AN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME (OST) PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES TO YOUTH IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE AT COLLINGTON SQUARE ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL IN EAST BALTIMORE. THE CLUB'S PROGRAMMING IS DEDICATED TO POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THROUGH AGE-APPROPRIATE EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES. RESEARCH HOWS THAT ENGAGING YOUNG STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE HOME DECREASES THEIR LIKELIHOOD FOR TRUANCY AND INVOLVEMENT IN RISKY AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIORS. THE CLUB IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FROM 3:30 TO 6:30 WHEN SCHOOL IS IN SESSION AND FROM NOON TO 4PM DURING THE SUMMER. CHILDREN ENROLLED AT THE CLUB ARE ENCOURAGED IN THE USE OF PEACEFUL APPROACHES. CONFLICT RESOLUTION THROUGH POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INCENTIVES, CLUB COMMUNITY SERVICES, MENTORING AND REFLECTION TIME. CHILDREN ENGAGE IN PARENT CONFERENCES AND PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS. THESE PRACTICES BUILDING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND CLUB STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY. THE STUDENTS SERVED BY THE CLUB HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO AFFORD THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR EDUCATION AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. EACH SCHOOL DAY, CLUB STUDENTS RECEIVE HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE FROM STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. CLUB STAFF WORKS DIRECTLY WITH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS TO REVIEW GRADE-LEVEL READING AND MATH OBJECTIVES AND SHARE STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PROGRESS. TECHNICAL AND ARTS EXPLORATION SHAPE THE CLUB'S PROGRAMS. THE CLUB'S STEM (SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS) INSTRUCTION PROVIDES REAL-WORLD APPLICATIONS FOR COMPLEX MATH AND SCIENCE CONCEPTS THROUGHHANDS-ON PROJECTS AND EXPERIMENTS. ARTS PROGRAMMING OPENS STUDENTS' EYES TO THE DIVERSITY OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM. BOTH PROGRAMS OFFER A CHANCE FOR THE CHILDREN TO DEVELOP CULTURAL AWARENESS OF THE CONCERNS FACING THEIR COMMUNITY AND PROPOSING INSIGHTFUL RESOLUTIONS TO THESE ISSUES. THE CLUB ALSO PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF HEALTHY FOODS, NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. STUDENTS AT THE CLUB RECEIVE A HEALTHY AFTERNOON SNACK AND MEAL WHILE IN THE PROGRAM. STUDENTS ALSO LEARN HOW TO PREPARE INEXPENSIVE, HEALTHY SNACKS AND MEALS. EACH CHILD AT THE CLUB HAS A PLAN FOR SAFE TRAVEL HOME, PROVIDED BY THE STUDENT'S FAMILY. THE CLUB COMMUNICATES DIRECTLY WITH THE SCHOOL TO ADDRESS SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIORAL AND ACADEMIC CONCERNS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CHOOL AND FAMILY IS NOTIFIED IF A STUDENT IS ABSENT FROM THE PROGRAM FOR MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN IS A FOOD SERVICE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ECSM CLIENTS. CLIENTS PARTICIPATE IN A 15-WEEK PROGRAM THAT CONSISTS OF CLASSROOM AND HANDS-ON LEARNING. CLIENTS HAVE THE CHANCE TO SIT FOR THE SERVSAFE EXAM; AN INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATION IN FOOD SERVICE PROTOCOL AND TECHNIQUES. UPON COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM, KITCHEN STAFF WORK WITH CLIENTS TO PLACE THEM IN EXTERNSHIPS OR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THE KITCHEN PROGRAM PROVIDES EXTERNAL CATERING AND INTERNAL FOOD SERVICE CONTRACTS. THE TRAINING PROGRAM IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 9AM TO 2PM. THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN SEEKS TO EDUCATE AND TRAIN VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MODEL THAT FOCUSES ON CATERING AND CONTRACT FOOD SERVICES IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH CUPS COFFEEHOUSE CATERING. WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM, CLIENTS LEARN COMMERCIAL FOOD SERVICE TECHNIQUES TO PREPARE THEM FOR A CAREER IN THE FOOD SERVICE FIELD. THIS CULINARY