Why collaborate? The differing reasons for secondary school educators' establishment of school-community partnerships

Abstract

This article clarifies the reasons underlying educators' cultivation of community involvement in their schools and highlights the role that social capital plays and the benefits of partnering. In this qualitative case study, documents, observations, and 25 interviews with head teachers, teachers, and community partners at 2 Ontario secondary schools were analysed for themes within and across sites. The educators partnered to meet the needs of their students and programs that could not be addressed in the school. Partnering provided material, financial, and social support. The principals obtained district resources unavailable to other schools, and the schools' reputations within the communities were raised. Descriptive findings aim to assist educators and researchers to better understand liaising and to facilitate the effective establishment of school-community partnerships.

Complexity and Volume: An Inquiry into Factors that Drive Principals’ Work

“…A "partnership," for this article, is understood as a relationship with an outside organization or group (as opposed to relationships with individual parents or families). Many advocate that partnerships can be a way to support student achievement [48], and can be considered a part of instructional leadership. Even though partnerships can indirectly support student achievement, we have separated this category from instructional leadership, as it does not facilitate principals' direct involvement in curriculum instruction in their daily work.…”

Assessing the Impact of a Statewide STEM Investment on K–12, Higher Education, and Business/Community STEM Awareness Over Time

“…Evidence suggests that stakeholder engagement in such network approaches to educational change is crucial to sustaining efforts and achieving goals, since maintaining widespread public support can result in budgetary decisions favorable to an initiative (Smith & Wholstetter, ). Stakeholder engagement has also been shown to result in an influx of supplemental resources to schools (Abowitz, ; Bennett & Thompson, ; Hands, ; Smith & Wholstetter, ) and play a role in attracting and retaining organizational partners to the network (Johnson, ; Kania & Kramer, ). The construct of community awareness and support is, therefore, a key factor in sustaining momentum for network approaches such as those funded by RttT grants.…”

Corporate Social Responsibility in Educational Institutions

“…Esta cultura asociativa pretende mejorar los recursos materiales, fi nancieros y humanos, reforzando el potencial educativo en la escuela y promoviendo salud, bienestar y valores cívicos entre los alumnos, y se apela al diálogo entre las diferentes organizaciones y esferas de la sociedad para que aumente la creatividad social, necesaria para establecer estos nuevos modos de colaborar (Hands, 2010).…”

“…Sería una asociación orientada a la asimilación del otro para alcanzar los propios objetivos. Sería una forma de crecer y agrandarse sirviéndose de los demás (Hands, 2010). "Crecer fuera de sí desertando de sí", tampoco es un "desplegarse hacia", sino un "perderse en".…”