The demand for community involvement in the educational process can be satisfied, and the administrator may find a valuable source of support in the process if the authors' 12 suggestions are followed. (Editor/RK)

Offers suggestions for combating rumors, coping effectively with irate people, and speaking before hostile groups. (IRT)

Presents two strategies for improving the quality of child care through staff development: (1) identifying areas of staff expertise and cultivating mentoring relationships; and (2) developing collaborative community initiatives. Includes brief descriptions of these strategies in use in particular child care programs. Makes suggestions for…

Although vocational educators have given their students a taste of service learning for years, one piece has been missing. In addition to preparation and action, service learning requires reflection--the previously missing component. (JOW)

Describes how the superintendent of Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento, California, along with three other educators and local government officials, teamed to create a joint-use campus that includes a community college, public library, and regional park. Taxpayer dollars are further stretched with the use of a "privately financed leased…

Describes the design of the South Fayette Township High School outside Pittsburgh, the centerpiece of the area's 100-acre K-12 and community educational campus. The building strives to provide a balanced learning experience for both students and the community, integrating the academic, the artistic, and the physical. (EV)

Describes characteristics of successful school district programs to explain difficult budget issues to the public, including strategies for budget cuts and layoffs. (PKP)

Describes the successful career technology program at Miami Valley Career Technology Center in Montgomery County, Ohio. Looks at Youth Connections, an alternative high school connected to it. (JOW)

Details the $1 billion in facilities projects being undertaken by Georgia Institute of Technology, including the 8-acre Technology Square, which involve partnerships with its neighbors to accomplish urban revitalization. (EV)

The National Center for Community Education provides training to local 21st Century Community Learning Cetners to enable them to provide learning opportunities for children and families. The future will depend on community education programming, community involvement, advocacy, and public will. (JOW)

Discusses how Texas established 21st Century Community Learning Centers in the state. Describes a typical day in a local center and the impact on participants. (JOW)

Proposes numerous ideas for events to celebrate school "birthdays," intended to cement the school's relationship with its community. (SR)

When the manager of Santa Clarita (California) Valley's local radio station phoned the author to invite fourth through sixth graders to do book reports on the air, teachers enthusiastically agreed. The result is a Tuesday morning program (sponsored by a bookstore) featuring student panels that critically evaluate children's literature. (MLH)

Argues that only if the nation's schools act now in concert with the real world will America stand a chance of awaking from the nightmare of violence. Notes successful efforts to address the problem in North Carolina. (SR)

Argues that community development must be built upon the principles of lifelong learning and that Knowles's andragogical model of adult learning is applicable to that process. Suggests communities become self-directed and critically aware of external factors and dynamics. Considers the role of educators in that process. (DMM)