Community School Directors are United Way of Erie County employees embedded full-time within each Community School. They serve as the on-site connector between the school and community, building relationships with students, families, staff, and partners to remove non-academic barriers to learning. By coordinating resources and aligning support, Community School Directors, with the assistance of United Way backbone staff, help ensure every student and family has what they need to succeed in school and life.
Tami, an Erie native, returned home to serve the community as a social worker in 2011. After graduating from Mercyhurst Preparatory School, she attended North Carolina State University on a full athletic scholarship, where she served as captain of the women’s soccer team, was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic Team, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work.
She later earned a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Certificate in Gerontology from the University of Pittsburgh. Tami has served as a Community School Director since 2017 and values the meaningful partnerships she has built with students and families at Edison Elementary.
Corporate Partners are integrated partners, not just donors. Their collaboration creates consistency, resources, and opportunities that directly impact student success and family well-being — key pillars of the Community Schools Model.
These businesses and organizations provide both financial and volunteer support, working side-by-side with Community School Directors to create meaningful opportunities, improve learning environments, and strengthen connections between schools and the community.
Interested in becoming a Corporate Partner? Contact Julie Chacona, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at julie@unitedwayerie.org or Anita Kuchcinski, Vice President of Development at anita@unitedwayerie.org.
This dashboard provides a comprehensive view of academic performance, attendance, and survey data for Edison Elementary as a United Way Community School. It contains seven interactive pages, each focusing on a distinct area of data.
These stories highlight real examples of how the United Way Community Schools model is creating lasting change. From improved student engagement to stronger family connections, each story showcases the people, partnerships, and progress driving success across our community.
In partnership with Operation Warm, Edison Elementary, a United Way Community School, teamed up with New Motors Subaru to provide warm coats and shoes to more than 100 students this winter. The initiative was made possible through the generosity of New Motors Subaru and the time and care of their volunteer team.
Relationship Building: A Core Part of Edison
At Edison, relationship-building is a core part of their daily routines, from shaping policies based on community feedback to creating spaces for students, families, and staff to connect and support one another.
