CPS, Cincinnati Health Department Dedicate Wellness Center in Honor of Darlene Kamine

Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Health Department hosted a dedication and naming ceremony for The Darlene Kamine Wellness Center at Roberts Academy on Friday, October 10, 2025.

The event honored Darlene Kamine, founder of the Community Learning Center Institute (CLCI) and the driving force behind Cincinnati’s nationally recognized Community Learning Center (CLC) model, which she began at CPS.

A former juvenile court magistrate, attorney and nonprofit leader, Kamine has dedicated her career to advancing opportunities for children. She founded ProKids, a guardian ad litem program for abused and neglected children. She later spearheaded Cincinnati’s transformation of public schools into Community Learning Centers, which serve as hubs of academics, health, family support and civic life.

In 2009, she established CLCI to sustain and expand this work, ensuring CPS schools across the District could connect students and families with critical resources. Under her leadership, Cincinnati’s CLC model became a national example of holistic, place-based educational reform, earning recognition from organizations such as the Brookings Institution.

“Darlene’s vision has always been about more than classrooms; it’s about creating schools that truly serve families and neighborhoods,” said Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Shauna Murphy. “The naming of the Roberts Academy Wellness Center in her honor is a lasting tribute to her passion, persistence and remarkable impact on our community.”

The Roberts Academy Wellness Center embodies that vision, providing comprehensive health services to students and families in Price Hill. By embedding care directly in the school, the center removes barriers to access and strengthens the connection between education and community well-being.