Reaching Parents and Community: Introduction

Introduction

Iowa School Leadership Standards

Standard 4: A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources. (Family and Community)

The principal

a.	Engages family and community by enhancing shared responsibility for student learning and support of the school.
b.	Promotes and supports a governance structure for family and community involvement in the school.
c.	Facilitates the connections of students and families to the health and social services that are needed to stay focused on learning.
d.	Establishes with staff a school culture that welcomes and honors parents and seeks ways to engage them in their children's learning.

Strategies, tools and advice for communicating with and involving parents and community to create new ways of thinking.

"You can't solve a problem at the same level of thought at which it occurred."

Albert Einstein

A growing body of research is documenting the positive outcomes produced when school leaders engage community stakeholders to create effective community schools. True "community schools" where schools and community develop reciprocal and mutually supportive relationships have been proven to:

Increase academic achievement and improve the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children;
Foster strong relationships between families and schools in support of student learning;
Make both the school and community safer and more supportive places; and
Use scare public, private, and community resources more efficiently.

("Community Schools: Partnerships for Excellence." Coalition for Community Schools, 2002.)

With outcomes like those, why wouldn't every school administrator be serious about engaging community and parents? Studies show that although district leaders say they are eager for public engagement, the venue that they rely on most—the school board meeting—is primarily seen as a vehicle for the most vocal and disgruntled citizens. And only a handful of superintendents (4 percent) see communication with the community as their most pressing concern. ("Just Waiting to Be Asked? A Fresh Look at Attitudes on Public Engagement." Public Agenda Foundation, 2001.)

The reality is likely that while most school administrators realize the value, and on some level want to make parent and community involvement a higher priority, without a plan and strategies, it simply doesn’t happen at a deep enough level. Still others may be intimidated by the idea of inviting community and parents into the conversation for fear that they will "screw it up" or slow down the process of improvement.

But given today's challenges for Iowa's schools, how can we not make engagement part of the plan? How can school administrators possibly pull off such huge tasks as budget-driven facilities changes or comprehensive improvement plans without the involvement ideas, energy—and some would say, permission—of community and parents?

This section of the SAI School Administrators Survival Guide will provide users with resources, tools and strategies for reaching out to and involving parents and community. From understanding the difference between "PR" and involvement to facilitating conversations with "non-school folk" about data in meaningful ways, the overall goal of this website will be to help school administrators create a plan for communication and involvement.

Reaching Parents and Community