Competency 7
Community Relations
a. Articulate organizational purpose and priorities to community and media
b. Request and respond to community feedback
c. Demonstrate the ability to build community consensus
d. Relate political initiatives to stakehoders-including parental involvement programs
e. Identify and interact with internal and external publics
f. Understand and resond to news media
g. Promote positive image of schools and the school district
h. Monitor and address perceptions about school-community issues
i. Demonstrate the ability to identify and articulate community issues that impact local education
Summer Springboard Parent Feedback.pdf (305,6 kB)
Community Relations Reflection
School leaders have a very important responsibility to project a positive image of their school to the outside community. In today’s society this is especially true as public education must now compete with outside educational agencies. Two consistent opportunities to interact with parents within my field experience have been in the Site Management Council and Parent Teacher Organization. Though, I feel regular attendance at both is essential, we must keep in mind that our relationship with the outside community should not end with these two organizations.
During the course of my field experience I was given the opportunity to balance our school budget while cutting $25,000 in expenses. This was a great experience for me as I was able to brainstorm and problem-solve to make decisions on a sizable budget reduction. My focus was to limit cuts that would have a direct impact on classrooms in the building. After completion of the budget, I proposed my ideas to my cooperating administrator, Mrs. Scardigli, and together we made the final decisions. After the decisions were made we then met with the school Site Management Council and I was able to help present the proposed budget for the next school year.
I approached the meeting with a positive outlook and placed my focus on keeping the cuts away from our students. Both the staff members and parents on the committee were very receptive to the cuts that were suggested, and were appreciative of the effort that went into making cuts that would be the least intrusive for the building. During my meeting with Mrs. Scardigli, she suggested we present a handwritten list of proposed budget cuts. The idea was to give the impression that the items were not set in stone. This would ensure that both staff members and parent representatives would feel comfortable offering their own suggestions and ideas. As we all engaged in conversation it was clear that this impression was given. However, because the cuts were made in the best interest of students, and had been well thought out, everyone was in consensus that we had made good decisions. This experience was valuable to me because I will use the idea of creating voice in presenting ideas to others as a future administrator.
Another opportunity I had to work in the competency of Community Relations was during my summer internship experience with our district summer school program, or Summer Springboard. Over the course of the four week program I required a weekly parent newsletter from each teacher. Though summer school was a fairly short program, I felt strongly that parents needed to know that we were working hard in educating their children. Teachers did this willingly, and the feedback from parents was very positive. Along with the teacher newsletters that went home, I also developed my own letters to go home. Prior to the start of the program I sent an initial letter with important information. I then sent two other newsletters over the course of the four week period of time. The purpose of this was to encourage parents to contact me with questions, and so they would feel a personal connection to the program.
Prior to the conclusion of Summer Springboard I created and sent home a parent survey. The purpose of the survey was to find out how parents felt about the program, and to ask for ideas or suggestions for improvement. I was extremely happy with the number of responses we received and at the percentage of positive reports and comments. I have passed on the information gathered from parents and it will be used in designing the Summer Springboard program for next year.
As we internalize appropriate feedback and make changes for program improvement we increase our community support, which is so important in the current world of education. Keeping parents and students in our district, along with acquiring the financial backing, we need to continuously allow our community to have a voice. The artifacts I chose to represent my growth in this competency include; the first and second parent newsletters I sent home and completed parent response surveys. As I move toward a career in administration I can say with complete confidence that the skills I have developed in the competency of Community Relations will be used on a daily basis.