School Type: Public	School Setting: Urban
Level: High	School Design: Magnet
Content Presented By:
RMC Research Corporation

Summary

The practice: The Community - Schools cannot succeed as independent "islands" within their communities. Agencies, organizations, and individuals in the community can offer powerful support in the setting of school goals and program implementation.

Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions was recognized as a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School in 1997-1998. This story is gleaned from its successful application to the Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

• 80% of parents visit the school each year.
• Close partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine.
• A DeBakey Community Advisory Committee and a Baylor Advisory Committee provide a communication link between school staff members, parents, and the surrounding community.
• Assessment surveys are regularly distributed to students, recent graduates, alumni, community and parents.

The DeBakey Community Advisory Committee, composed of medical professionals, parents, educators, and community leaders, serves as a community voice on behalf of the school and acts as an additional communication link between parents, the community, and the school district's central office. Two presidents of neighboring civic associations and two pastors of nearby churches have been invited to sit on the Committee.

Students participate with a number of community-based service and professional organizations in service-learning projects and career-development activities. The Houston Hispanic Forum, National Aeronautics Space Administration, American Red Cross, B'nai Brith, M.D. Anderson Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, and many other organizations provide opportunities for formal and informal mentoring and career support for students.

DeBakey has set as a goal to have 70% of all parents attend Parent Forums, the Baylor School of Medicine Open House, and the DeBakey Open House. To accomplish this goal, the school has outlined specific objectives and plans to evaluate success by reviewing attendance rosters and survey responses. The school sends out two parent newsletters at the end of each grading period, and the Information Hotline is regularly updated. Informational flyers are sent home to parents every Friday.

  [Top]   [Next]

This resource is developed and maintained by The Education Alliance at Brown University. Seed funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Send comments to: loom@alliance.brown.edu