Connections and Communication.Sharon Adams-Taylor is the staff person here at AASA AASA American Association of School Administrators AASA Asian American Student Association AASA Association of Academies of Sciences in Asia AASA Aging and Adult Services Administration AASA Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army who I think best keeps us grounded in what really matters in our association's work with school leaders--bettering the lives of children and improving their educational outcomes. It's easy to lose sight of that sometimes. Formerly with the Children's Defense Fund The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a national organization that is committed to the social Welfare of children. Founded in 1973, the nonprofit group uses its annual $9 million budget to lobby legislators and to speak out publicly on a broad array of issues on the law, the family, and , Sharon serves as AASA's director of children's initiatives and member networks. She's the one who suggested we devote this month's issue to building strong school-community relationships and pointed us to one of the national leaders in that movement, Marty Blank, who runs the Coalition of Community Schools in Washington, D.C. You can read about some of the school districts, big and small, that he has helped to fashion meaningful interagency in·ter·a·gen·cy adj. Involving or representing two or more agencies, especially government agencies. agreements in an article, "School-Community Partnering," that begins on page 6. As AASA's representative to the community schools group, Sharon says she observes community-based organizations that serve youngsters and families sometimes find it difficult to move past the negative mindset mind·set or mind-set n. 1. A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations. 2. An inclination or a habit. they have about public schools. "And they wonder why schools don't want to open their doors to them after they get done bashing?" she says. "As Paul Houston sometimes says, 'You can't bludgeon people to greatness.'" The way a school system communicates what it is about seems central to this discussion so you will find several related articles this month. Brian Woodland, who manages communications services in Peel, Ontario, one of Canada's largest districts, discusses why image building is a misguided pursuit of school public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most , while Mark Havens, community relations 1. The relationship between military and civilian communities. 2. Those public affairs programs that address issues of interest to the general public, business, academia, veterans, Service organizations, military-related associations, and other non-news media entities. director in Lewiston, Idaho Lewiston is the county seat of and largest city in Nez Perce County, Idaho, United States. It is the second largest city in the Idaho Panhandle region behind Coeur d'Alene. , describes the value of education foundations beyond the obvious funding benefits. Other articles look at securing community permission to initiate change and how to tell your school district's stories when the news media won't. Please communicate with us if you find these treatments of value and interest. Jay P. Goldman Voice: 703/875-0745 E-mail: jgoldman@aasa.org |
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