MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—United Way of North Central Ohio and Marion City Schools today announced a landmark partnership to establish a Community Hub School pilot program at Grant Middle School.
The Community Hub School (referred to as Community School outside of Ohio) strategy recognizes that academic and social success is closely intertwined with student and family well-being. This pilot program will make Grant Middle School a central space for resources, bringing essential services supporting health and wellness, academic success, and family and community engagement under one roof, making them easily accessible to students, staff, families, and the Marion community.
United Way will employ and manage a dedicated Community Hub School Coordinator to be embedded at Grant Middle School. The Coordinator will be a full-time member of the school team, working closely with the administration, staff, families, and local nonprofits to assess the unique needs of the student body, bridge existing resource gaps, and design programming specific to the community’s demographics.
“Local United Way organizations across the country have made great impact adapting the Community Hub School model for their communities,” said incoming UWNCO CEO Natalie Longmeier. “Our team has been researching and strategizing for more than a year, and we’re very excited to launch this pilot program with Marion City Schools. The Community Hub School initiative is a long-term commitment for our organization that we believe will help bring generational change to our region.”
The listing for the Community Hub School Coordinator position will be posted in the coming week, and the interview process will begin immediately. Planning sessions and community-asset mapping are underway, and the initial pilot program rollout is anticipated for the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year.
“Having seen firsthand how this model transforms schools and changes the trajectory of students’ lives, I’m thrilled to bring this initiative to Grant Middle School and Marion City Schools,” said Brian Murphy, Marion City Schools Superintendent. “Our goal is to surround our students with a community of support. By embedding these resources for success directly into the school, United Way is helping us ensure that our students have what they need to thrive in and out of the classroom.”