Major Questions:
� How does a principal access community resources and remain engaged for the benefit of a student population?
� How does a principal engage families of students in a positive, consistent manner?
Tom has been principal of Jacobs High for two years, and his engagement with the community and families is split between one very positive aspect and one underwhelming component. When it comes to connections with businesses, community agencies and organizations, Tom has much to be proud of. However, Jacobs High is sorely lacking when it comes to parent involvement. While this is a problem for the entire district, this is especially true at Jacobs.
On the community involvement front, Tom could not be prouder than he is. Jacobs has a robust internship program for Juniors and Seniors that has one hundred percent of them engaged in an occupation of their interest for Carnegie-Unit credit toward graduation. Some students work at nonprofit agencies such as the Red Cross or Humane Society. Others work at for-profit businesses, including restaurants and graphic design firms. Not only has this provided students with valuable opportunities to experience professional environments and have an adult mentor, it has been a great piece of promotion for the school. Business people and those in service agencies have a positive outlook on the school, rather than simply being oblivious to it, as they have student interns providing them with assistance, or have read several positive press reports that have featured this aspect of the school�s curriculum.
Students, too have a more complete view of their community, knowing the range of businesses that exist and service providers that are at work. Often kids graduate from high school with a nebulous notion of what goes on beyond their homes and neighborhoods. The internship program at Jacobs High provides a great window into the world for them. Furthermore, students have greater attachment to the school and seem to be less likely to drop out because they are excited by their internship opportunities. Many students have even been hired by their internship providers following graduation.
In addition to the work that is done through the internship program, Tom�s students benefit from a wealth of agencies that come into the school to assist with instruction and support. Tom often requests information from teachers about what kind of expert assistance they could use for instruction, and contacts area scientists, writers, historians and others to bring them into classrooms as elements of his teachers� lessons. Additionally, a variety of service providers that cater to teens have been brought in to inform students about topics from depression to preventive health care to college preparation. Rarely does a week pass when there are not guest in the school enriching the lives of students at Jacobs High.
Finally, there is a student tutor/mentor program that has Tom initiated to provide greater support to his student body. Local university students spend time each week in study halls and after-school sessions working with Jacobs students in studying and completing assignments. Older students benefit from becoming more familiar with challenges in the community, and younger students are lifted up by those only a few years older, but much more experienced at academic tasks. There are regular celebrations that offer these two groups of students a chance to hang out in a relaxed social environment.
Unfortunately, as much positive work as there is with community members and local organizations, parent support at Jacobs leaves much to be desired. There are formal opportunities for parents to visit at the start of each semester, and there is a parent support group that meets on a regular basis. Attendance at both of these forums is underwhelming, though. When he first arrived at Jacobs as principal, Tom made an effort to draw more parents into these events, but did not meet with success. As a result, he has placed parent engagement on the back burner.
Certainly, parents still come for called parent conferences when there is a particular need with a student. In talking to parents, Tom is always clear and positive, and he generally gets parents support in meetings and phone calls about individual students. However, the stance in the school is more reactive than forward-thinking.
To improve parent engagement, Tom could start by creating more opportunities for informal time in the school, just as he has done for tutors. There could be regular kick-off and celebrations to mark not only the beginning and end of semesters, but also at critical times like the conclusion of standardized testing periods. Other times for parents to come may come by asking parents who come for individual conferences. Often, parents of high school students become less engaged than they might have been earlier in their children�s lives, but they are no less important, and it is critical to send this message.
Tom might also consider arranging some of the forums for students to hear from local resource providers to include parents. He has done such a good job with that aspect of community engagement that he may be able to capitalize on it to produce results in family engagement. With well-directed, consistent efforts, Tom may be able to expand the range of things that he can be proud of as a principal.