In the past decade, the realization of the need to build family and community partnerships has emerged as a major challenge in public education, and more recently within NEA, NCAE's parent organization, and the NCAE. Schools know the job of educating students cannot be achieved alone. A collaborative effort of schools, families and community resources must be forged.
NCAE is facing that challenge by committing staff resources and time to help build strong partnerships across North Carolina. Each community is unique. NCAE's mission is to help teachers, community leaders and parents examine their attitudes, behaviors and actions, and work on building effective partnerships that are mutually beneficial and rewarding to all stakeholders in a school's community.
This effort includes the following:
NEA developed a Family-School-Community Partnership training program which consists of the following components:
Getting on Board - Provides a rationale and framework for family - school - community partnerships and allows participants to examine their perceptions, assumptions and concerns about building partnerships.
Communication - Increases awareness about the importance of communication, and access to information and school personnel. Teaches specific ways schools can create comfortable climates and community access to build partnerships with families and communities.
Diversity - Provides information and discussion to help educators work with children in urban and rural communities, and families of diverse cultures. This session emphasizes the strengths of different cultures and families, and examines attitudes and perceptions.
Achieving Family-School-Community Partnerships - Examines successful strageties for creating partnerships and the many types of partnerships that can be formed.
Pulling It All Together - Leads participants through the process of developing a joint plan of action for a Family - School - Community Partnership initiative.
Four NCAE staff members and one NCAE leader were trained in May 1996 as Family - School - Community partnership trainers. This cadre serves as NCAE's main group of trainers, and travels around the state conducting training and information sessions.
NCAE has conducted a Family - School - Community Partnership Workshop to expand its core of trainers. Teachers and community leaders from around the state attended, and are available to train or conduct information sessions to interested educators and community members upon request.
