| A brief narrative description of the journal article, document, or resource. | Schools and communities can work together in unison to benefit children and families. This paper explores the issues and potential inherent in closer relationships between schools and community-building organizations. Drawing from interviews and conversations with community builders and school leaders in urban areas, it attempts to help educators and community builders understand one another, to describe strategies that work to guide better interactions, and to offer recommendations for future joint efforts. The Starting Points section outlines the background of school and community involvement. The Sticking Points section examines differences between schools and community organizations. The Summary Points section gives the rules of engagement for both educators and community builders in chart format and demonstrates similarities in goals, differences in approach, and opportunities for cooperative work. The Building Relationships section details strategies that have been successful. The Rules of Engagement section offers suggestions to educators and community builders in chart format. Moving Forward is a section with suggestions for expanding and strengthening school and community interaction. The Stories of Four Communities section describes four sites where communities and schools work together: the Chula Vista Elementary School District, CA; the Germantown Settlement Multi-purpose Agency in Philadelphia, PA; the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, IL; and the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization, DC. Dialogue-Participants and Interviewees and Resource Organizations are appended. |
