Hommocks Middle School
Located
in Larchmont, New York, Hommocks Middle School serves approximately 1,100
students in grades 6, 7, and 8. The school serves both Larchmont and Mamaroneck,
which comprise a relatively wealthy community on the outskirts of New York
City. Larchmont/Mamaroneck is also home to a growing number of Hispanic families
primarily from Central and South American countries. The student body is
79% White, 4% Black, 4% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 14% Hispanic (NYSED,
2004-2005). In many cases, there is a large disparity between the family
income levels of the Hispanic students and their fellow classmates.
Leaders at Hommocks are committed to providing the best education for all of their students. They have become increasingly concerned about the achievement gap between Hispanic students and their peers, which widens as students progress from 6th to 8th grade. The school has recognized the need to address this concern in a systemic way and to include families in the process. They selected the PALMS tools to organize their efforts.
The PALMS team at Hommocks will work alongside Latino parent leaders to
build a strong family outreach program to benefit all Hispanic families in
the district. With generous funding from Lumina Foundation for Education,
PALMS is documenting the school's activities during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008
school years. Please check back periodically to learn more about the growing
outreach program at Hommocks.
