School Version 2.0 - Community Involvement

There was a time, not long ago, when community involvement in schools meant bake sales at the PTA, and reverse raffles at football games. Schools were not really expected to be active members of the community, and a few interested people did most of the “volunteer” work at the school.


Times have indeed changed. Our schools rely heavily on the involvement of ALL members of the community, in order to best meet the needs of our children. The world in which we live in is full of challenges, and it requires teachers, principals, parents, business/community members, church members and mentors to help prepare our students for tomorrow’s world. Unlike the past, we must ensure that ALL students have access to college. A child that drops out of school in 2007 has a very bleak future; this should simply not be an option for any student. Research has shown that drop-outs cost hundreds of millions of dollars annually to our economy. We have many safeguards and support systems in place to prevent this from happening, but ultimately we rely on the student’s community to provide support. If all the adults in a child’s life expect success- then that success is almost assured.

In turn, our community relies on our schools to provide not only education, but training in specialized fields. (I’ll be speaking about this in a future article.) As our county continues to grow, and industry ponders establishments in Columbus County, the quality of education in the area could be a deal-maker or a deal-breaker. Most of these industries will not want someone that can just labor, but rather an employee that has critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Our approach to these challenges is simple: involve as many people from as many different areas as possible, and build partnerships with local business and commerce. I have formed Advisory Councils for parents, students, teachers, principals and business and industry. In these meetings, we have frank discussions about the direction of our schools. I rely heavily on these councils to determine the success of on-going programs and to determine the potential success of future programs.

We have also joined all chambers of commerce in the area. We work closely with the Economic Development Commission and the Committee of 100 as well as the Small Business Center of Southeastern Community College. In addition, we are partners with the North Carolina Museum of Forestry, Columbus Regional Healthcare System and International Paper. One of the first questions I ask when speaking with these groups is, “How can the schools help?” We then in turn use these responses to help guide our long- term improvement plans. Additionally, I am dedicated to meeting with any group that has concerns or simply wants information. I have an open door policy with all partners and the media.

I hope that each of you, whether you have children or not, will become involved in the lives of the young people in your community. In the past, the most important volunteer work happened in the school. We still need that involvement, but in the 21st century, we need volunteers in the churches, at the ball games and on the street, encouraging our students to succeed. In return, we pledge that our school system will listen and be responsive to the needs of the community and will supply our children with the skills they need to survive and flourish.

Thanks for listening; please feel free to comment on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com.