The Catamount Community Schools Collaborative (CCSC) is dynamic and longstanding research-policy-practice-partnership (RPP) between the University of Vermont and the Vermont Agency of Education, and the University of Vermont to support a sustainable ecosystem of community schools across Vermont. 

The CCSC is characterized by long-term commitment to collaborative management, research, and sustained improvements to the community schools approach, with a particular focus on rural communities. Community Schools are resource hubs that provide a broad range of well-coordinated supports and services for students and families. The CCSC seeks to address systemic issues of inequity in educational and health access among Vermont rural communities.

The CCSC aligns with national University Assisted Community Schools (UACS) Models where institutions of higher education are lead partners in community schools implementation and sustainability through long standing mutually beneficial and democratic partnerships.

In partnership with the Vermont Agency of Education, the CCSC supports community school implementation and sustainability through the following:

1. Interdisciplinary UVM faculty applied participatory research.

2. UVM undergraduate and graduate student internship and service-learning courses.

3. Technical assistance, professional development, and community school implementation supports.

Learn more about the CCSC and our work.

The CCSC is funded through several braided Federal, State, Professional and University funding mechanisms including the following: 

1. A contract with the Vermont Agency of Education funded by Federal ARP-ESSER funds connected to Act 67 Community Schools Evaluation.

2. A seed grant from the University of Vermont’s Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships (LIRP) to support Community Schools Extension Activities with interdisciplinary UVM faculty and students.

3. A Congressionally Funded Community Project (CFCP) administered by the Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education supported by a congressional direct spending request through Senator Sanders to expand the Community Schools model in Vermont leveraging CCSC resources, partnerships, applied faculty research and service-learning courses in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Education.

4. A small grant from the National Education of Research Practice Partnerships (NNERPP) to bolster youth voice in our community schools implementation and evaluation work.

Bernice Garnett, ScD MPH, CCSC Executive Director

Peter Knox, PhD MPA, CCSC Associate Director of Research & Evaluation

Contact Us

Colby Kervick, EdD

Anna Elliot, PhD

Heidi Schumacher, MD

Vermont Agency of Education

• Jess DeCarolis, Director, Student Pathways Division, Vermont Agency of Education 
• Johannes Haensch, Program Manager, Student Pathways Division, Vermont Agency of Education 

Vermont Act 67 Community School Partners

Cabot School (K-12) 

• Sonia Scherr, Community School Coordinator 
• Rebecca Tatistcheff, Principal 

Hazen Union School (7-12) 

• Vaiva Velzis, Community School Coordinator 
• Jason DiGiulio, Principal

North Country Supervisory Union 

• Samantha Stevens, Community School Coordinator 
• Elaine Collins, NCSU Superintendent 

Vergennes Elementary (K-6) 

• Lynne Rapoport, Community School Coordinator 
• Matt DeBlois, Principal 

White River Valley Middle School (7-8) 

• Mary Schell, Community School Coordinator 
• Pierre LaFlamme, Principal 
• Jaime Kinnarney, WRVSU Superintendent 

Other Community Support Partners

• Ned Castle, Ethnographic Documentarian and Filmmaker with Frames to Life

Connect with the CCSC