Outside the classroom, democratic schools are connected to their
parents and community through various ways. The broader community
impacts who and what the children and school are and can be. On one
level, schools should involve families and communities in the work of
the school, developing means for parent input and guidance and
educating students in civic participation. On a second level, it should
involve itself in the work of the family and community, seeking
connections and healthy environments for children within the community.
In
addition, democratic schools and teachers should attempt to create more
family-like schools (Epstein, 1995), viewing families and communities
as partners in the educational process and having common and shared
interests and goals in educating their children. The obligation of
schools goes beyond just school-home communication, but extends to
developing connections through which families and communities can
collaborate throughout the educational process.
A partner school
shares an example of how they are working with students and parents:
"We have recently rewritten our Mission Statement. Our students have
written a new pledge that is displayed through Power Point and recited
by students. Our Student Council is meeting with me to discuss school
concerns. The PTA is focused on parental growth and is seeking to
understand and share our vision."