Posted by:
Paul Vivian
Research/tech assistance org
Manchester, NH

Topic:
Mary Jenning's Response

Message:

Collaborative partnerships focus on bringing about community and systems change through a process of people working together to address what matters to them -- whether that is increasing academic achievement, increasing parent involvement, or promoting civic engagement among people who share a common place.

Can the promise of a better future, a scholarship for four years of college, an academic tutor, or a mentor motivate students and keep them committed to their education? Stamford's (CT) "I Have A Dream" afterschool program operated on the assumption that the prospect of a tuition-free college education will cause students to work more diligently in school. Whether participants appreciated the full significance of the PROMISE was not always clear.

Rogers Magnet School and the Rogers School Community Center Organization (ROSCCO) program collaborative provided seven components of the Schools of the 21st Century, including a Family Resource Center. The other components were:

• Early Childhood Program
  
• Child Care (before and after school)
• Adult Education (GED, ESL)
  
• Teen Pregnancy Prevention
  
• SAT Preparation
  
• Saturday Scholars
  

The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPP) after school program marries the concepts of learning and earning. This hook caught the interest of young adolescent students. Four days a week after school, students completed homework and research projects. Then, they planned for the school store. The school store was successful in allowing students to earn money as it provided an instructional opportunity for students.

These experiences provide students with a foundation upon which to place "new" knowledge. In our collaborative child-rearing, the family, school and community partnerships increased academic achievement in students.

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