Full Description
Harness your community's powerful resources to support achievement!
Every school exists within the broader context of its community. By tapping into the wealth of resources that abound beyond campus grounds, principals can weave a tightly knit safety net that buoys student learning. If the adage "It takes a village to raise a child" is true, then certainly raising schoolwide achievement is largely dependent upon the active involvement of local businesses, organizations, institutions, and parents.
Cultivating strong alliances with community members entails a systemic, goal-centered outreach program-and this comprehensive guide outlines proven, practical strategies for effectively launching, implementing, and sustaining mutually beneficial partnerships. It highlights straightforward best practices for: Reaching out to parents, including specific involvement activities; Building community relationships that support school initiatives, plus tips for leveraging the media; and Closing the achievement gap through community resources and reforms.
This fourth volume in a seven-part leadership series features:
Insightful questionnaire and response analysis
Case study with reflective questions
"What You Should Know About" sections framing each chapter
Self-Assessment resources
"In-basket Simulations" exploring real-life examples
Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Questionnaire: Before We Get Started...
1. Introduction
Case Study and Reflective Questions
2. Best Practices in Reaching Out to Parents
Learning Together
Empower Parents
Provide Training
Establish Parent Coordinators
Foster Parental Success
Publicize Student Presentations
Solicit Parent and Community Involvement
Develop Parent Involvement Activities
Conclusion
3. Best Practices in Building Community Alliances
Consider Six Types of Involvement
Form a Community Advisory Committee
Undertake Community Building
Plan Together
Develop an After School Program
Involve Parents and Community
Avoid Barriers to Implementation
Become Media Savvy
Become Part of a Professional Development School (PDS) Initiative
Conclusion
4. Using Community Resources and Reforms to Close the Black-White Achievement Gap
School-Community Clinics
Early Childhood Education Centers
After School Programs
Conclusion
Conclusion: Making School-Community Relations a Reality
Resource A: Realities of School-Community Leadership: In-Basket Simulations
Resource B: Assessing Your Role in School-Community Relations
Resource C: An Annotated Bibliography of Best Resources
References
Index
