Dscribes a school-wide program of improving communication with parents through positive telephone contacts with teachers and the principal; a monthly principal's newsletter; a student reading program; parents' comments on report card envelopes; a school improvement council; parent visits and lunches; Project LOVE (Let Older Volunteers Educate);…

Suggests that rural cummunity psychology focus on preventive interventions instead of traditional service delivery. Discusses special nature of intervention in rural communities, types of preventive interventions, understanding/utilizing community social ecology, and training issues. Advocates greater preparation for rural psychology and greater…

Reports on an Arkansas survey that illustrates a technique for analyzing the school-related concerns and perceptions of teachers and community members. Shows how the survey can identify problem areas in the schools and explains how administrators can use the survey to improve school-community relations. (SB)

Isolation, sparsity, smallness, and differentness hamper pursuit of quality rural education. Necessary basic conditions for quality education are attractive buildings with positive school climate; strong teacher/administrator leadership; core curricula reflecting rural values/culture; high academic expectations for all students; and use of…

This handbook for Iowa school districts was first published many years ago. Since that time, several significant sociopolitical and educational changes have occurred. For example, there has been an increase in the number of languages and cultures represented both in Iowa and in the political arenas of the nation. Immigrants and refugees from…

The articles in this issue of "Focal Point" focus on the Research and Training Center's current work, which reflects the evolution of expectations for partnering with youth and families. Partnering successfully requires not only a philosophical commitment to the value, but also intentional, specific steps to redesign services and reallocate…

Parental and community involvement in Title I schools is limited by occurrence and the absence of positive motivation. When parents are involved in the life of a school, children receive the message that education is important and the school is a vital commodity. With this involvement, a culture is developed that encompasses the children,…

This book focuses on documenting and understanding the nature of environmental changes observed by indigenous residents of the Arctic. Common themes include increasing variability and unpredictability of the weather and seasonal climatic patterns, as well as changes in the sea ice and the health of wildlife. Nine papers focus on these changes,…

In 2002, the Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) began a new phase, with the goal of developing a team of community college and tribal college faculty, extension educators, and civic leaders to address the long-term needs of rural America. An advisory council was established to select the RCCI pilot states and colleges, monitor the…

In 1992, UNICEF signed an agreement with the government of Egypt to develop and coordinate a community schools project in the deprived villages of rural upper Egypt. Four pilot sites were selected in the governorate of Assiut based on minimum numbers of out-of-school children, lack of a school nearby, and the eagerness of the community to…

A shortage of instructional materials and activities is a continual problem for Native language courses, as is making the material relevant to students. The Native way of teaching and learning has always been to have fun. In response to these concerns, a group of language experts at Trent University (Ontario) are developing a CD-ROM for high…

This literature review surveys the varieties and purposes of connections between schools and communities, from home-school relationships to schools as social service centers and communities as school curricula. It explores the benefits of school-community connections to students, communities, and schools. It describes the processes by which…

The Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative (ARSI) is a collaborative mathematics, science, and technology education reform effort among six states in central Appalachia--Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The project aims to stimulate sustainable systemic improvements in these subjects for K-12 students in a…

The goal of the Success By Six program was to provide seamless, universal services to young children in a rural county in order to prepare them for a successful kindergarten experience. The process evaluation describes the implementation of interventions in the community and collaborations of community agencies. This rural community faced a number…

This report describes Project CREEK (Community Resources Through Environmental Education for Kids), a collaborative 3-year project between the University of California at Davis, the University of Maryland, and a large, rural K-5 elementary school in central California, and a sister site near Baltimore. Specifically, this report examines changes in…