Debunks common myths about rurality and rural Australia. Calls for a change in perspective, putting person and place at the center of learning. Local involvement is key to the proposed Centre for Rural Communities, which would promote community sustainability through networking and training. Describes the Rural Women's Programme in Victoria and a…

Describes how a citizen's advisory committee in Arlington County, Virginia formulated criteria that the school board could use in recruiting and appointing a new superintendent. The final recommendations focused on two categories of superintendent attributes--educational leadership and personal qualifications. (LMI)

Charles C. Haynes, religious liberty scholar and leader in the "common ground" movement, explains what guidelines schools should follow to observe the December holidays. Christmas will remain a point of contention, unless communities think about and devise rich ways to treat religious holidays, both academically and otherwise. There is…

Describes the process of selecting judges for a Blue Ribbon Art Show (Springfield, Missouri). Used adults (teachers, custodians, professional artists, parents, and principals) chosen by the Willard South Elementary School art teacher to judge student artwork. States that nominated students received blue ribbons. (CMK)

This collection of seven articles focuses on playgrounds, looking at such issues as the importance of play in child development, playground injuries and safety (including international playground safety), community playground improvement projects, and shock-absorbing playground surfaces. (SM)

Proposes "democratic work stations" as central hubs of activity within a community where human rights workers share information and resources with community leaders from all sectors and offers some examples of this type of collaboration in action. Suggestions for creating these work stations are outlined. (SLD)

In Manteo, North Carolina, community involvement in planning and design phases of community revitalization led to recognition of the town's "sacred structure"--highly valued places essential to social processes, lifestyle, and sense of place. Identification and preservation of these places allowed community development without negative…

Based on the 1989 presidential address to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the article discusses the role that social studies education plays in developing citizenship skills. States that society cannot leave to chance the promotion of citizenship in successive generations. Calls for the NCSS members to unite their efforts to…

Comparison of two groups of parents of children with severe disabilities found that the group receiving intensive intervention (including stress management and parenting skills training, support groups, and community-based respite care) showed less anxiety and depression, with large treatment effects observed for both fathers and mothers.…

This article summarizes methods and findings from a community diagnosis designed to identify cognitive, affective, and cultural variables that seem to be associated with teen pregnancy. On the basis of information collected, critical elements for an intervention strategy are proposed. (IAH)

Proposes that the Barrow Alcohol Study be viewed as a learning experience demonstrating paternalism of researchers toward weaknesses of Alaska Natives. Stresses the importance of meaningful community involvement in all phases of a research project. Suggests that today the researcher-community relationship is becoming less exploitive and more…

Describes various events and activities during Pine City, Minnesota's, "I Love to Read Month," which focused on a "Reading Railroad" theme. Lists 12 stories and 16 poems about trains that were used for oral presentations. (MM)

Describes the development of a new institutional infrastructure for service coordination in a Chicago university-community-school partnership project. Examines convening and goal-structuring processes, institutional interests and reward systems, relations to external environments, communication linkages, and institutional conventions.…

Reports on the philosophy underlying a project to promote local community involvement in neighborhood plans as a basis for a citywide Local Agenda 21 and the first stages of Go Local on a Better Environment (GLOBE) introduced to give the project a popular identify and communicate the environmental message. (LZ)

Reviews strategies and techniques to enhance prosocial development. Suggests ways for involving whole classrooms, entire school systems, parents, and communities in creating classroom and home climates for prosocial expectations and learner support. Gives specific activities, strategies, guidelines, and resources. (ET)