Parker Elementary is Florida's 2026 Community Partnership School of the Year. The Bay County school pairs classes with health care, food lockers and family help.

Parker Elementary School has been named Florida’s 2026 Community Partnership School of the Year. Bay District Schools announced the award in a post Friday.

Parker was Bay County’s first Community Partnership School, and it adopted the model in 2022. The school is on South Highway 22A, east of downtown Panama City. It serves about 475 students from pre-K through fifth grade, according to the school’s own website.

How the school works

A Community Partnership School brings outside organizations into the building to deal with problems that keep children from learning. Parker’s partners are:

  • Bay District Schools
  • Children’s Home Society of Florida
  • Gulf Coast State College
  • PanCare Health

The district said the model covers academic enrichment, health services, family engagement and access to essential resources.

What the award recognized

The district credited the school’s SHIP team, which connects families with supplies, community organizations and help with problems outside the classroom. Its work includes:

  • SHIP Day, held every year, when community partners hand out school supplies, groceries, health services and other resources to families
  • refrigerated food lockers that give families in need easy access to nutritious food

The district said the honor belongs to Principal JoBeth Davis and the Parker team, the SHIP team and the community partners.

What it means for you

  • Parker families can ask the school about the SHIP team’s services. The school’s contact details are on the Parker Elementary website.
  • Organizations that want to help can reach the school the same way. The model depends on outside partners.
  • Find your school and its zone on our Panama City public schools page.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Community Partnership School?

A public school where community organizations work alongside the school to remove barriers to learning, with academic enrichment, health services, family engagement and access to essential resources. At Parker Elementary the partners are Bay District Schools, Children’s Home Society of Florida, Gulf Coast State College and PanCare Health.

When did Parker Elementary become a Community Partnership School?

In 2022. Bay District Schools said Parker was Bay County’s first Community Partnership School.