On a national, state and local level, there is a strong emphasis on strengthening schools so that all children can succeed academically. However, there is more to success than academics and schools cannot be solely responsible for the education of students – all community players including families must work together to provide a total educational experience for youth.
To keep students in school their social, economic, and family needs, as well as their academic needs must be met. They need the support and help of the whole community. The often heard statement, "It takes a village to raise a child," is very true. Volunteers and funding are two major ways that communities support their schools. But there are many, many more ways and opportunities to form effective partnerships to help achieve our goals. And they are critical to our success – not a luxury or extra. Some of the initiatives that involve partnering with the community are School-to-Work Programs, drug abuse prevention programs, after-school centers, and parental involvement programs. Regrettably, in too many neighborhoods there is a real disconnect between schools and their surrounding communities – especially in low-income areas where such partnerships may be needed the most
Several years ago the C.S. Mott Foundation brought together leaders in education to create a new vision and consider the elements of “time,” and how young people learn The result is a vision for a “New Day for Learning”—a comprehensive, seamless approach to learning that values the distinct experiences that families, schools, out of school timeprograms, and communities provide for children. The task force report is a document is designed to catalyze conversations, raise awareness, and initiate the development ofspecific next steps. I encourage you to take a look at the report which is really a first step towards the kind of change that will require a long, deliberate, and intentional process.
A new day for learning is not a curriculum or one-size fits all program; it's a 21st century vision for learning that builds on a foundation of core academics by leveraging community resources to incorporate strategies such as hands-on learning, working in teams and problem solving. Many programs that take place before the school day, after school and during the summer are already using these innovative learning approaches to engage students and increase their chances for success.
![Supporting Student Success Mary B. Sutton Michigan After-School Partnership 517-371-4360 Ext 17 [email_address] Connecting Schools and Communities Through Effective Partnerships](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/afterschoolmarysutton-110802083113-phpapp01/85/Afterschool-mary-sutton-1-320.jpg)
![The need to strengthen American schools ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)