UWF EVT 6664 Chapter 6Creating Closer Community Ties

A High School Study

Community Partnership Karla Lewis & a colleague conducted a case study of

three high school members that was facilitated with the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS). On a five point scale for at least two consecutive years prior to the start of the study NNPS annual survey ranged from good to excellent & potential sites were limited to those whose evaluations of their partnership program quality. Five out of the seven highs were members of the NNPS at the time of the study. One of these sites was located in a rural county in the Midwestern state. In this chapter Rural High is the county focused on specifically on activates implemented with community partnership.

Background

The District

Do to the district size the parent involvement coordinator that helped to develop the district’s partnership team decided that it would be more efficient & unifying to create on district wide partnership committee rather than five school-based teams.

Background (cont.)The district is made up of three separate villages the decision to bring the district’s closer together is to: increase student involvement in the community outreach

projects community involvements in student’s learning &

development

This is the primary goal of the district partnership committee.

Partnership activates involving elementary schools included: Community Mentoring Program

o community volunteers were trained by school faculty to tutor K-5 students in reading & hand-washing

Background (cont.)Several businesses also supported the district’s newsletter through advertisements & provided student & family incentives at school events. With the partnership effort the district’s success led to a state award for community involvement in educational improvement.

The district’s partnership committee meets monthly & is made up of:FacultyFamilyCommunity representatives from each school

Each of the members is dedicated contributors to the district partnership committee. Some members quote: Phillip Brussels: “I think it is a very friendly group… a

very open group & very easy to get along with, not a bunch of snooty people.”

James Fence (President of the Committee): “The one-on-one request seems to be best at getting people interested; they see what accomplishments that you have had. I would say that is about it, the one-on-one.”

Mr. Fence also committed on the support provided by district educational leaders: “We do our part but then we have the administration that is very active in helping au with partnerships with businesses & so forth in the district.”

Ms. Finn: “The most important thing to any community partnership, I think is the buy-in of administration.”

The High School

Rural High is approximately 680 students from all three villages & the high school’s student population is predominantly European American (96%).

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680 Students

The High School (cont.)

The students were offered courses in ten departments:

BusinessEnglishFine ArtsForeign LanguageHealth / Physical EducationMathematicsScienceSocial StudiesSpecial ServicesVocation

The High School (cont.)The high school is about thirty years old & needs renovation & additional space. Around the main building the school had portable units & the students for the high school had to share the cafeteria with the nearby elementary school. Facing these constraints, the school has made significant changes to provide students with the facilities & resources they needed to complete the educational & workplace setting.

The High School (cont.)

Some of the changes are:The cafeteria was fashioned into a:Multi-media classroom (satellite links, video,

televisions, etc.)Computer classroom (latest Macintosh

computers & a new server)Computer Lab (old computers that are less then

five years)Vending Room

The High School (cont.)

Most of the equipment has been acquired through grants & community contributions coordinated by the district’s partnership team & school principal. The schools effort paid off due to the increasing standardized test scores.

Principal Leadership

The district’s committee was established before the The district’s committee was established before the principal of Rural High (Albert Harrison) was principal of Rural High (Albert Harrison) was seated. But Mr. Harrison totally supports the seated. But Mr. Harrison totally supports the committee’s work. He even acknowledges the committee’s work. He even acknowledges the importance of having a partnership committee. His importance of having a partnership committee. His comments are “You have to have a team. You have comments are “You have to have a team. You have to work together as a team. Nobody can accomplish to work together as a team. Nobody can accomplish anything by themselves.”anything by themselves.”

A Student Focus

District’s partnership views Rural High’s students as the nucleus in there efforts. With the help of the student leaders we planned & implemented partnership activities conducted in the district. These district activities have impacted the district in many different ways:Have helped to bring the school’s adolescents

closer to the communityHelped to close the generation gap between the

district’s elderly members & its teenagersCelebrating the students’ efforts, Rural High along with the partnership committee has established a scholarship program for graduating seniors.

Community Partners & Activities

The district had nearly twenty active community partners. Here are some the active community partners at Rural High:

Community Partners Rural High Partnership

Business / Corporations Providing students internships, refreshments for school events, student/family incentives

Universities & educational Institutions High school students tutoring at local elementary schools

Health Care Organizations Hospitals cosponsoring community health fair

Government & military Agencies Health Dept., fire Dept., City Council, Fire Dept. Police/Sheriff Dept. acting as volunteers & guest speakers for school programs

National Service & Volunteer Organizations

Student supporting Untied Way through fundraising

Faith Organizations Students collecting canned food & volunteering at shelter organized by faith organizations

Senior Citizens organizations Students organizing social events for senior organizations

Cultural & Recreational Institutions Library assisting in organizing school events (e.g., book drive)

Media Helping to disseminate information about Health Fair

Community Individuals Supporting health fair & other school events

Community Health Fair The community Health Fair was one of the district’s

most successful community partnerships. The fair started with 100 participants & the increased up to 500 participants for this annual event. Several organizations contributed to make this event successful like: A hospital, a local health care facility, & the county

health department provide free screening for:o Cancero Body Fato Blood Pressureo Blood Glucoseo Flu Shotso Other Healthcare concerns & health information

Community Health Fair (cont.)

A local radio station provided:o Free advertisements for the fair

Rural High students & other community volunteers:

o Operated the arts & craft boothso Offering free face paintingo Balloonso Treats for younger children

The local library has organized:o Book Driveso Book reading

The school district’s venture capital grant:o Provided Funds for Food

Urban Mission

The Urban Mission is to help coordinate a partnership between Rural High & a shelter. This is supported by local churches.

Internship Program

Rural High School has developed a successful internship program that allows high school students to gain real work experience in a variety of professions like:Health CareVeterinary Medicines

The program has given the students a meaningful relationship with professionals & business leaders in the community.

Unity Between School & Community

District & school leaders hope the unity between school & the community will cover the funding for educational improvement void. District leaders feel with out:Strong school-community

connectionsLegislation to increase educational

spending in the district

The district would fail & the needed renovations & upgrades would not occur.

References

Building School-Community PartnershipsCollaboration for Student SuccessMavis G. SandersForeword by Joyce L. EpsteinCopyright 2006 by Corwin Press

SCHOLARLY RESOURCESCreating Closer Community Ties

National Network of Partnership Schools

NNPS helps preschools, elementary, middle, and high schools organize research-based and goal-oriented programs of school, family, and community partnerships. NNPS also guides district and state leaders to encourage and guide every school to create a welcoming climate of partnership and to implement involvement activities linked to school goals for student success.

http://www.csos.jhu.edu/p2000/nnps_model/school.htm

Center for Social Organization of Schools (CSOS)

The Center for Social Organization of Schools (CSOS) was established in 1966 as an educational research and development center at Johns Hopkins University. The Center maintains a staff of full-time, highly productive sociologists, psychologists, social psychologists, and educators who conduct programmatic research to improve the education system, as well as full-time support staff engaged in developing curricula and providing technical assistance to help schools use the Center’s research. The Center currently includes the federally-supported Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk, and the Center on School, Family and Community Partnerships.

http://web.jhu.edu/CSOS/about.html

                                                                                                                  

               

American School Board JournalBuilding School-Community PartnershipsBy Bruce Buchanan

A federal mandate for school districts to adopt wellness policies sounds well and good -- after all, it’s hard to dispute the alarming rise in childhood obesity and an increase in the number of children diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

But for overworked teachers, principals, and school administrators, revamping and overseeing student exercise and nutrition programs falls into the category of “other duties as assigned.” So when looking at efforts to improve student wellness, it makes sense for school boards to look beyond their own staffs and reach out to community organizations for help.

http://www.asbj.com/TopicsArchive/HealthandWellness/Building-School-Community-Partnerships.aspx

Building Relationships with Citizen Schools

Citizen Schools staff talk about developing relationships, including school-community and student-mentor bonds; plus advice and resources for building strong relationships in your own program.

http://www.edutopia.org/citizen-schools-community-relationships-video

http://www.edutopia.org/media/ndfl_cz/cz_relationships.flv

Questions about Chapter 6Questions about Chapter 6

Creating Closer Community TiesCreating Closer Community Ties

1. Why do you think the district’s partnership committee at Rural High was so

successful?

2. What are some of the activities at the Community Health Fair?

a. Free screening for cancerb. Free face paintingc. Balloon & treats for younger childrend. All of the above

3. What are the real work experience the students that Rural High School provides?