Elizabeth A Fuller

4/16/19

Standard 1.4d – Effective Communication

Collaborating with Families and Other Community Members

The entire community benefits from education. Community involvement provides the

learning community with rich resources of expertise, experience, application, and opportunities

for community service (Speck, 1998). Collaboration of principals, teachers, and community

members are important when looking at student success. As a future administrator, I can’t

overlook what the community can bring to the educational process. Communities have service

agencies, political establishments, businesses or a business round-table whose focus is on

education, a ministerial coalition, service and civic clubs, and other social cultural organizations

that can provide children with the knowledge, values, and social skills needed to be successful

(Shipman, Queen, & Peel, 2007). Some of the community organizations may be more active in

reaching out to families and students than other organizations. Some organizations may be

unsure of how to reach out to them because they do not have insight to what students need. In

the role of an administrator, I would make connections of the school to community members,

and demonstrate ways to support our students and families.

The increasingly diverse nature of our school’s today presents challenges that can inhibit

communication and collaboration between schools and the community. Today’s society is

characterized by varying family configurations, economic backgrounds, and racial and ethnic

groups. There are a multitude of differing lifestyles, beliefs and values in our schools as we

move into the 21st century (Shipman, Queen, & Peel, 2007). As a future administrator, I would

need to recognize the diversity, see it as a strength and opportunity for the school, and
incorporate ways for parents and community members to become involved to build support for

the school.

A school’s own staff is fundamental to establishing good school community relations (Shipman,

Queen, & Peel, 2007). Research states that involving parents and the community in a child’s

education enhances a child’s self-esteem, improves a student’s academic achievement, improves

parent-student relationships, helps parent to develop a positive attitude toward their child’s

school, and provides the parent and community a better understanding of the school’s process

and procedures (Brown, 1997). A school needs to welcome, involve, and provide training for

parents who want the best education for their children. Parents can benefit from the learning and

training provided through activities such as parent workshops and open houses. Having

communication with parents and community members through newsletters, emails, open houses,

and school conferences will initiate what types of projects/workshops are needed to promote

student achievement. These workshops may include behavioral management, family bonding, or

reducing the risk of drug abuse to name a few. Parent involvement needs to go beyond class

parties, bake sales, PTA, or club meetings. Schools should provide parent-teacher conferences.

They should receive and respond to written communications in a timely manner. Fall and spring

open-houses should be set up. Inclusion of school volunteers, developing school newsletters,

accessing Edline and emails, and participating on Local School Improvement Council are all

ways to increase parent involvement. As a future administrator, providing an atmosphere that

welcomes parents is important. This can be done by having the secretarial staff greet parents as

they enter the school or answer phones in a friendly manner, shaking parents’ hands at the end of

meetings, and saying positive things about their child (Brown, 1997). Every encounter that the
school has with a parent or community member presents an opportunity to build support for the

school.

Responding to Community Interests and Needs

A solid relationship between the school and the home is essential for every child to do well,

reach their full potential, and achieve the goals that have been set for them. The school and

parent must be a team striving toward the same goal. When parents are happy with the education

that their child is receiving, fewer students dropout and more positive outcomes are developed

between the school and home (Brewster & Railsback, 2003). No Child Left Behind established

that every parent has the right to be involved in their child’s education and to help make

informed decisions that will provide the best education possible for their child. As a future

administrator, I will have to follow these policies and find ways to strengthen family

relationships through establishing trust, confidence, and respect.

Trust has to be established between the learning community and school. Trust is not

developed overnight. I would have to show the learning community that the school is fair,

dependable, and has the interest of every child at heart. Integrity and competence would have to

be displayed in all aspects of communication. The culture of the school has to be one in which

there is public input, as well as families helping with making the decisions that affect their

child’s day to day school lives (Speck, 1998). When teachers get involved in the social lives of

their students and their daily activities, they develop a better understanding of the community in

which their students live (Brewster & Railsback, 2003, p. 5).

As a future administrator, I would follow Joyce Epstein’s framework on six types of parental

involvement. This type of framework relies mostly on the parents being involved with decisions
for their child. I would implement this framework because it involves six different educational

steps to develop a better relationship between the parent and school, and it provides practices that

reach out to diverse families. The six different educational steps include communication,

parenting, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaborating with the

community (Epstein, 2007)

Mobilize Community Resources

Administrators must find ways to link the community to the school to promote and celebrate

student success. The resources and opportunities that the community can bring to the

educational process are important. The principal and other members of the learning community

should identify community resources that can enhance student learning and support the overall

wellness of the school, students, and families.

As a future administrator, I would explore agencies such as Marshall University, Department

of Health and Human Resources, United Way, Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Big Brother and Big

Sisters, Mountain State Family Alliance, local businesses, and service organizations to support

student learning at the school. Food banks, clothing closets, and other family assistance

programs could be set up in the school or local community buildings to assist the needs of the

school, as well as the needs of families. Agencies such as Marshall University, The Huntington

Museum of Art, and RESA could provide staff development opportunities, tutoring, student

camps, and materials that support the school’s goals and objectives. Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis,

Lions Club, local churches and Woman’s Club could be called upon to support the needs of the

school. These agencies provide glasses for students who cannot afford them. They provide food

baskets to families who are in need during the holidays. They provide after school programs until
parents are off work, and provide materials for school staff, such as supplies, to support the

needs of students within their classrooms. Support through an organization called Community In

Schools provides grants, scholarships, and donations from local restaurants, dealerships, and

other community businesses to surround students with a community of support, empowering

them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Reflection

Collaboration between an administrator, staff members, students, and learning community is

one of the most important roles that a leader of a school has to achieve. As I prepare to be an

administrator of a school, I understand the importance that collaboration between members of the

school and learning community can contribute to the success of the school and increase student

achievement. The saying, “A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take

the helm,” is especially true when developing collaboration between the school and learning

community as we move toward the 21st century. The school principal, through effective

communication, must guide and inspire the learning community and school to take the journey

that supports student learning. All families, regardless of their cultural background, need to be

involved in the daily functions of the school, school activities and programs. Staff developments

and workshops need to be provided to meet the needs of the diverse community. The school

principal must be aware of and provide effective communication on the different community

resources that are available to the school community in meeting the needs of all students within

the learning community.

 References

Brown, P. (1997, January 23). Involving parents in the education of their children. Retrieved

August 1, 2013, from KidSource online Web site: http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/

content2/Involving-parents.html

Brewster, C., & Railsback, J. (2003). Building trust with schools and diverse families. Retrieved

August 2, 2013, from Adolescent Literacy Web site: http://www.adlit.org/ariticle/21522/

Brewster, C., & Railsback, J. (2003). Building trust with schools and diverse families. Retrieved

August 2, 2013, from Adolescent Literacy Web site: http://www.adlit.org/ariticle/21522/

Epstein, J. (2007, July 26). What research says on parental involvement in education: epstein's

framework. Retrieved August 3, 2013, from http://www.education.com/reference/article/

Ref_What_Research/

Shipman, N., Queen, J., & Peel, H. (2007). Transforming school leadership. Jonesborough, TN:

Electronic Publishing Services, Inc.

Speck, M. (1998). The Principalship: building a learning community. Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Prentice-Hall, Inc.