Building School-Community Partnerships

Foreword by Joyce L. Epstein Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Community Involvement: Why and What? Rationales for Community Involvement in Schools Community Involvement in Schools: Form and Fashion Obstacles to Community Partnerships Summary 2. A Closer Look at Common Community Partnerships Business Partnerships University Partnerships Service Learning Partnerships School-Linked Service Integration Faith-Based Partnerships Summary 3. Components of Successful Community Partnerships High-Functioning Schools Student-Centered Learning Environments Effective Partnership Teams Principal Leadership External Support Summary 4. Building Capacity for Successful Community Partnerships: A Vignette The School The Goal The Team The Project The Community Partners The Results Lessons Learned Summary 5. Bringing the Community In: An Elementary School Story Background Community Partners Commitment to Students' Learning Principal Leadership Action Team for Partnerships Welcoming School Climate Two-Way Communication Summary 6. Creating Closer Community Ties: A High School Study Background Principal Leadership A Student Focus Community Partners and Activities Summary 7. Promising Practices for Community Partnerships Activity 1: Goal--Improve Reading (2004) Activity 2: Goal--Improve Math Skills (2003) Activity 3: Goal--Increase Students' Awareness of Career Opportunities (2001) Activity 4: Goal--Improve Ninth-Grade Performance on State Proficiency Exam (2002) Activity 5: Goal--Improve Student Writing and Technology Skills (2002) Activity 6: Goal--Improve Student Reading (2002) Activity 7: Goal--Improve School Landscaping (2002) Activity 8: Goal--Provide Community Service (2002) Activity 9: Goal--Improve Student Oral and Written Communication (2004) Activity 10: Goal--Improve Facilities for Students With Disabilities (2004) Activity 11: Goal--Improve Student Science Skills (2000) Activity 12: Goal--Provide Afterschool Activities for Middle School Students (2000) Summary 8. Preparing Educational Leaders for Community Partnerships: A Workshop Agenda Building Community Partnerships Agenda Summary 9. Concluding Thoughts Resource A: Sample Activities Activity 1: Locating Community Partners Activity 2: Improving the Partnership Process Activity 3: Improving Community Partnership Quality Activity 4: Garnering Principal Support for Partnerships Resource B: Sample Letters Sample Letter 1: Partnership Communication Sample Letter 2: Partnership Activity Follow-Up Endnotes References Index