58 Partnerships
School and Community Partnerships: Communities In Schools
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“I could sit in my garage all day long and that doesn’t’t make me a car. I can sit in class all day and that does’t make me a student. It is what you DO that makes you a student.”Jamie Accashian, Principal
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Learning Targets
Students should be able to:
- Define and give two examples of what a School and Community Partnership is.
- Have working knowledge of what Communities In Schools is.
- Name two benefits of School and Community Partnerships.
Introduction
Let’s imagine this scenario. You have a student who has the potential to be very successful. However, you have noticed recently that he has skipped classes, not turned in assignments, and went from makings “B’s” to “D-‘s” and “F”.
You talk to the student and he tells you that he has had to take on two jobs to help support his family. What do you do? How can you help him?
What is School and Community Partnerships
A school-community partnership involves “the connections between schools and community individuals, organizations, and businesses that are forged to promote students’ social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development” (Saunders, 2001).
These organizations can give money or volunteer their time and services. A few ways they can volunteer their time is by mentoring a student, tutoring, or just allowing a student to shadow them.
Why do we need Community Partnerships in our Schools?
Schools are being held accountable for students learning and what they know. However, schools cannot do this alone. This is where school and community partnerships come into play. In these different partnerships students are given the best opportunities to succeed in school because the community can sometimes provide resources that schools cannot really afford to provide. In a personal interview with Mr. Bob Cartwright, he said that, “in tight monetary times, the financial advantages to the school are apparent” (B. Cartwright, personal communication, September 30, 2008).
What is Community In Schools?
Communities In Schools (CIS) is a nationwide organization that helps to prevent students from dropping out of school and being prepared to become active and productive citizens in their communities (Communities in Schools At A Glance). CIS is a place where students can feel safe and feel as though someone actually cares about what happens to them. They are free to learn and not worry about being bullied. For some they are given a second chance at an education. One thing CIS helps to provide is alternative high schools that offer both day and night programs.
The teacher in the above scenario could recommend this to her student. The principal and the faculty would have worked with the student to help him be able to work to help his family and to still get his degree. They could even transpose his work experience into high school credit and work with his job to make sure he is able to attend school. The teachers are caring and go out