Family Leadership Organization

The Hopkins Lloyd Community School Family Leadership Organization (FLO) is co-facilitated by our Community School Coordinator. FLO meetings allow HLCS family members to gather in a structured environment to discuss issues and successes here at Hopkins Lloyd. Our Community Schools partnership creates safe, welcoming spaces for organizing and practicing family-centered engagement strategies, and our Family Leadership Organization meets consistently with clear agendas that are led by family leaders to ensure family voices are included in school-based decisions.

Parent Resource Center

Hopkins Lloyd Community School’s Parent Resource Center is a place where families can go to meet with our HLCS Parent Coordinator and find other supportive services. The Parent Resource Room is open throughout the school day to give family members ready access to all of the assets we have as a Community School, to help maintain and decorate our building, and to learn other ways they can become more involved here at Hopkins Lloyd.

FAST (Families & Schools Together)

The FAST® Program was developed in 1988 by Dr. Lynn McDonald, a professor of social work and education researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to promote and nurture the potential of every child. FAST supports and empowers our parents, and trains our school staff to partner with our families in support of their child’s education and overall well-being, creating a welcoming environment for all families.

Strong Baby Sanctuary

Also known as Blanket of Love, Strong Baby Sanctuary came to HLCS from Hephatha Lutheran Church. The Strong Baby Sanctuary is a well-baby and parenting-skills program for new and expectant mothers, and families with children under the age of 12 months. Strong Baby Sanctuary holds meetings four times a month, including one here at Hopkins Lloyd on the third Tuesday of each month. Participants hear from guest speakers and learn how to properly take care of their newborn or infant. Strong Baby Sanctuary also provides diapers, formula, clothes, bottles and other critical supplies parents may need. Through a partnership with Coalition on Lead Emergency, participants also receive water filtering pitchers and filters so their children are not exposed to lead.

Project RETURN

Project RETURN supports our HLCS families by helping them to overcome barriers created by incarceration, and to make a successful, positive and permanent return to their family and our community. Project RETURN offers multiple services to help family members based on their individual needs, including:

• Employment Services — Finding stable employment is a top priority for people returning from incarceration. Project RETURN helps with creating resumes, searching for jobs, preparing for interviews, dressing appropriately, job training, transportation and more.
• Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Counseling — Project RETURN offers three AODA support groups on a weekly basis. Individuals can be referred into the program by the Department of Corrections or refer themselves.
• Housing — Too many people are released from incarceration only to find out they have nowhere to call home. Project RETURN works with landlords to open up housing opportunities to their clients.
• Circles of Support — The Circles of Support program is proven to reduce a return to criminal behavior. Circles of Support are small groups that meet regularly to create a stable support network for individuals returning from incarceration. Members of each circle include formerly incarcerated people, a trained circle keeper and community volunteers. Through a structured process, circle members grow with and learn from each other, and help their community heal from trauma created by poverty, crime and the impact of incarceration. Learn more about individual circles here.