An expansion of the “community schools” model across Mercer County will bring a range of new supports—from reading tutors to on-site food pantries—to students and families in Trenton, Hamilton, and Ewing.
Backed by a $2 million state grant, Mercer Street Friends is expanding the program from three schools to six, adding Cadwalader Elementary School in Trenton, Klockner Elementary School in Hamilton, and Antheil Elementary School in Ewing.
For families, the changes go beyond the classroom.
What will be different for students and families
At the newly designated schools, students will have access to additional academic help, including a reading intervention program designed to support those working below grade level.
Students will work in small groups with trained educators—often retired teachers—focusing on key literacy skills such as phonics, comprehension, and critical thinking.
The program is intended to supplement classroom instruction, giving students extra time and individualized support to build toward grade-level proficiency.
Schools will also offer expanded social-emotional learning supports, with students participating in small-group sessions led by social workers and site staff focused on well-being, behavior, and personal development.
Beyond academics, the model introduces resources aimed at meeting basic needs that can affect a student’s ability to learn.
Families will have access to:
- On-site food pantries, allowing them to pick up groceries at school
- Weekend meal programs, providing students with food to take home
- Family resource specialists, who help connect families with services such as housing assistance, counseling, and other supports
Those services are designed to remove barriers that can interfere with learning, from food insecurity to lack of access to support systems.
Support extends beyond the school day
The program also includes a summer bridge initiative, aimed at preventing learning loss between school years.
Students in the program continue working on reading and math skills over the summer while also participating in STEAM activities, field trips, and wellness programs.
The goal is to help students return to school in the fall better prepared and more confident.
A different model for what schools provide
Community schools are designed to function as neighborhood hubs, combining academics with health, social, and family services in one place.
The approach reflects a growing recognition that student success is tied not only to classroom instruction, but also to factors outside of school.
“By bringing education, health care, family supports and community partnerships under one roof, community schools help remove barriers to learning,” said State Sen. Shirley K. Turner, who helped secure funding for the expansion.
Mercer Street Friends serves as the lead agency for the program, coordinating services and staffing at each site.
Expansion builds on existing programs in Trenton
The community schools model has been in place in Trenton since 2015, with programs operating at Luis Muñoz-Rivera Elementary School, B.C. Gregory Elementary School, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School.
More than 10,000 students, families, and community members have been impacted by those programs, according to Mercer Street Friends.
The new grant expands that work into Hamilton and Ewing for the first time, creating a broader regional network of schools operating under the same model.
Local connection and regional impact
The expansion was supported by Turner and other local officials and is part of a broader collaboration involving multiple school districts and community organizations.
That coalition—known as THE (Trenton, Hamilton, Ewing) Mercer Community School Coalition—includes Mercer Street Friends, the Princeton Area Community Foundation, and the participating school districts.
Officials said the goal is to build a coordinated system of support that extends beyond individual schools and reaches families across communities.
