Community school partnerships are integrated strategies that leverage the investment in public schools with community resources. Community school partnerships institutionalize collaborative leadership and fill gaps to meet the cross-sector needs of schools and communities.
The Center for Community School Partnerships creates shared solutions for improving opportunities and services to ensure the education, safety, health and well-being of school-age children and youth. Our belief is that all students can thrive under the right conditions, and that learning and youth outcomes should not reflect differences in race, gender, income, and class.
Increasingly, it is becoming evident that schools and communities should work closely with each other to meet their mutual goals. With respect to addressing barriers to
development and learning and promoting healthy development, schools are finding they can do their job better when they are an integral and positive part of the community.
Indeed, for many schools to succeed with their educational mission, they must have the support of community resources such as family members, neighborhood leaders, business
groups, religious institutions, public and private agencies, libraries, parks and recreation, community-based organizations, civic groups, local government. Reciprocally, many
community agencies can do their job better by working closely with schools. On a broader scale, many communities need schools to play a key role in strengthening families and neighborhoods.
For schools and other public and private agencies to be seen as integral parts of the community, steps must be taken to create and maintain various forms of collaboration. Greater volunteerism on the part of parents and others from the community can break down barriers and help increase home and community involvement in schools. Agencies can make services more accessible by linking with schools and enhance effectiveness by integrating with school programs. Clearly, appropriate and effective collaboration and teaming are key facets of addressing barriers to development, learning, and
family self-sufficiency.
Building such partnerships calls for an enlightened vision, creative leadership, and new and multifaceted roles for professionals who work in schools and communities, as well as for all who are willing to assume leadership.
By: Marietta E. Escuadro | Teacher III | Binukawan Elementary School | Bagac, Bataan
