This course has focused on the role of the school administrator in developing and maintaining relationships with families, businesses, and community stakeholders. Families, businesses, and community groups want to be involved with their local schools and help if they can, but they may need some guidance on how to help. As a school administrator, you will have the opportunity to reach out and engage with families and community members to increase their involvement, which ultimately leads to higher student learning.
This 3-part assignment allows you to analyze family and community interests and needs to support a school program. You will conduct interviews or a focus group, complete academic research, and develop goals and strategies for a family and community outreach program. You will then synthesize your research to develop your own program and create a presentation in which you detail for the school board the plans for your family and community outreach program.
Complete Parts 1–3 below.
Part 1: Interviews or Focus Group and Summary
Determine the platform you will use, individual interviews or a focus group, for involving other individuals (e.g. teachers, parents, community members) in the development of your Family and Community Outreach Program and select the individuals you wish to participate.
Prepare the questions and/or discussion prompts you plan to use. Consider the following topics:
- Areas of need
- What are some areas of need you would like to focus on related to family and community involvement?
- How will you determine those needs?
- Existing strategies or programs
- What are some strategies or programs that have been implemented at your school site to increase family and community involvement?
- Were these strategies and goals effective? Why or why not?
- Suggested opportunities for family and community involvement at your school
- Anticipated issues or challenges you foresee or have experienced, including those related to technology, in developing this type of program
- Stakeholders involved, both internally and externally, and their roles
- Logistics and implementation of the program
- What resources or supplies are needed?
- Will any school facilities be used?
Conduct the individual interviews or focus group session documenting responses or highlights of the discussion.
Collect at least two specific examples and a brief explanation of qualitative data related to the results from your interviews or focus group, such as examples of successful partnerships with the community and parents.
Collect at least two specific examples of quantitative data related to the results from your interviews or focus group, such as data related to the number of community partners, parent volunteers, time spent, donations acquired, etc.
Write a 350- to 525-word summary of your interviews or focus group experience, including the identified areas of need and suggested opportunities for family and community involvement at your school.
Part 2: Research and Data Analysis
Research best practices for increasing family and community involvement in schools. Gather qualitative and quantitative data that relate to the results of your interviews or focus group (e.g., examples of successful partnership with the community or families; data related to the number of community or business partners, family volunteers, time spent, donations acquired).
Write a 350- to 525-word analysis in which you do the following:
- Analyze the qualitative data related to the results from your interviews or focus group and explain your findings.
- Analyze the quantitative data related to the results from your interviews or focus group and explain your findings.
- Compare your findings from your interviews or focus group to your research of best practices for increasing family and community involvement and explain how you will use this information to develop your program.
Cite all sources.
Part 3: Program Presentation
Develop a program for increasing family and community involvement in your school and create a 10- to 12-slide presentation for the school board. Address the following in your presentation:
- Prepare a vision statement that explains the following:
- Purpose of program
- Short-term and long-range goals
- Benefits of program to school, families, and the community
- Explain the roles of the stakeholders involved.
- Develop a comprehensive plan for implementing the program, to address the following:
- Materials and resources needed
- Timeline
- Formulate a communication strategy, including technology and/or digital tools, for informing school personnel, families, and the community.
- Create an evaluation strategy for determining the program’s success, to address the following:
- Execution of the program
- Impact of the program
Compile the following for submission:
- Interviews or Focus Group Summary
- Research and Data Analysis
- Program Presentation
Submit your assignment.
Document your hours spent consulting with others and conducting interviews or a focus group in My Time Log.