Spring, 2000 No. 8 National Network of Partnership Schools
Baltimore School Connects with the Community: Lessons Learned
This paper reports data from an in-depth case study of community collaborations that are a part of the program of school, family, and community partnerships at Calvin Rodwell Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland. Calvin Rodwell is a member of the National Network of Partnership Schools. The school was selected for the study based on the Network’s criteria for an excellent school, family, and community partnership program; the recommendation of Marsha Powell-Johnson, the Area Facilitator for School, Family, and Community Partnerships who assists over 20 schools to develop their partnership programs; and the school’s reported community connections. Data used for school selection were, in part, obtained from the school’s One-Year Action Plan for partnerships and a telephone interview with the chair of the Action Team.
The case study was conducted between June and December, 1999. It included semi-structured interviews with ten of the school’s community partners who represented businesses, senior citizen organizations, churches, educational institutions, private foundations, and health care institutions; semi-structured interviews with the principal and co-chairs of the Action Team for Partnerships; focus group interviews with parents and students; and observations of activities sponsored or supported by the school’s community partners.
Factors Influencing Community Connections
The study’s findings reveal a great deal about factors that influence successful community involvement in schools’ programs of partnership. General themes that emerged from analysis of the data include the importance of (a) the school’s commitment to improving educational outcomes for its students; (b) the principal’s support and vision for community involvement; (c) the school’s receptivity and openness to community involvement; and (d) the school’s flexibility in negotiating the level and kinds of community involvement with potential partners.
High Commitment
Community businesses and organizations reported that Calvin Rodwell’s visible commitment to creating a challenging and supportive learning environment for its students was the primary characteristic that attracted them to the school and kept them involved.
Principal’s Support
The principal’s support also was identified as being very important for a successful school-community collaboration. As one community partner stated, " I’ve gone into some schools and have been totally turned off by the administration. And if I’m turned off, what’s my interest in helping that school?"
Welcoming Attitude
Community partners also reported that a school’s receptivity to community involvement is very important. One community partner described the reception that she received at Calvin Rodwell in the following way, "I was wondering how I would be received and its been wonderful. The kids, they hug me, they love me, and I love them."
Two-way Communications
Finally, community businesses and organizations emphasized the importance of open, two-way communication between schools and potential partners in order to determine the most suitable kinds of involvement, and to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each partner.
All respondents in the study agreed that Calvin Rodwell’s community partnerships have resulted in a number of benefits for the school, students, families, and the larger community. As a result of its community partnerships, the school has computers that students love to use; classrooms and a library full of books; an incentive program for honor roll students; an after-school program; financial support for partnership activities and events; community speakers for parent workshops; and relationships with community businesses, organizations, and individuals that bring the school and its community partners a great deal of satisfaction.
From: Mavis G. Sanders and Adia Harvey (2000). Developing comprehensive programs of school, family and community partnerships: The community perspective. Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans in April.
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