Participants 68
Community becomes disengaged
ddewell@goodtogreatschools.org.au August 7, 2023
Community Becomes Disengaged
When principals do not involve parents and the community with the SiP process, the community become disengaged with the school team. The principal does not have community input or perspectives when setting SIP goals.
They do not openly share school improvement data with the community each term, and do not celebrate successes or analyse challenges. Furthermore, opportunities to engage parents and the community in learning activities with students are lost.
What happens
The problem is compoundedParents may unconsciously promote the message to students that education is not supported by the community, or it is not important.
The principal sets the SIP alone, isolating the school from the community, as a result, students do not see their school as part of the community and disengage from learning.
Parents are unaware of improvements to the school environment, and they may feel that the school does not care about their children; students emulate that concern resulting in increased inappropriate behaviour or disinterest with learning.
Parents get frustrated with unsuccessful improvement strategies when uninvolved in solving school improvement challenges; they feel that their culture, personal experience and knowledge of their children is undervalued. Students lose opportunities to receive with practical learning activities that connect their classroom content with community values, history and culture.