An overview of the elementary school review process used in North York (Ontario) is provided. School reviews, which are part of North York's Quality Assurance program, were piloted during 1987-88, when each family of schools' assistant superintendent identified one school to participate in a school review. The aim of the reviews was to collect…

No other innovation in education in the United States has as much potential for improving education and reducing costs as the year-round operation of schools. Contrary to popular perception, the 9-month school calendar is not deeply imbedded in America's education system; throughout American history, the school calendar has responded to the…

This practicum addressed the problem of the lack of science instruction in a school consisting of kindergarten through grade 5. The options of teaching science through hands-on activities, use of process skills, adding field experiences and selecting resource persons from the community were presented to the teachers. Appropriate science materials…

The concept of the school as community encompasses two distinct relationships: the school/extended community and the internal school community. As social needs and conditions change, so does the school role in the community. Topics covered in this book include benefits of collaboration between the external community and the school, the creation of…

An overview of conflict management as it relates to the role of the principal is presented. The traditional approach to conflict, which minimizes conflict and emphasizes social control, is contrasted with the perspective that views conflict as inevitable, functional, and manageable. Intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts, functions of conflict,…

Addressing the concerns and resources of small, rural school districts, this book sets out a rationale and model plan for school-community relations. After introductory material and a review of what's been done, the first major section lists and describes 10 criteria shown by research to be most important for a small school district community…

Of 35 prominent Chief Executive Officers (CEO's) from 10 Canadian provinces participating in this study, 31 were interviewed by telephone and 4 in writing. The vast majority of CEO's (82 percent) agreed that they work in an increasingly political environment. Many CEO's perform a "screening function" between community groups and the…

This report analyzes the effect of public participation and the use of third party neutrals on recommendations for reorganization of a large Ontario school system. To reexamine the system, expand programs, and consolidate schools, the board of education commissioned an advisory council in 1984 to obtain community input before making…

Eight issues affecting the ability of the schools to meet the public's expectations and concerns are explored in this address. It examines problems, proposed solutions, barriers to change, and possibilities for reform in each of the eight areas. The topics considered are (1) school organization, the need for flexible structuring, and enhancement…

Using the school-community council as a vehicle, this manual leads school staffs, parents, community representatives, and school council members step-by-step through suggested tasks to strengthen schools and to help restore confidence in the public school system. Chapter 1, "Schools and Communities Working Together: A Rationale," defines…

This document reviews programs and policy initiatives in the following Northwestern States aimed at reducing the number of youth who are at risk of dropping out of school or remaining unemployed: (1) Alaska; (2) Hawaii; (3) Idaho; (4) Montana; (5) Oregon; and (6) Washington. The following regional trends are identified: (1) establishing…

A group of three conference papers, all addressing the subject of effective programs to decrease the number of school dropouts, is presented in this document. The first paper, "Systemic Approaches to Reducing Dropouts" (Michael Timpane), asserts that dropping out is a symptom of failures in the social, economic, and educational systems.…

Resulting from an 18-month study of the history, current status, and future of the two-year college, this report analyzes and presents recommendations concerning all major aspects of the comprehensive community college. Part I advocates the development of a clearer and more sophisticated definition of the mission of the community college,…

This book by a former principal of Marion High School in Adelaide, South Australia who held that post from 1972 to 1983, examines the influence of theory and practice of secondary education in many countries upon the management of the school during those years. The first 17 chapters discuss the management of the school as a whole, addressing the…

A national conference was held to examine ways for improving vocational education in comprehensive high schools. One of the major ideas to emerge from the conference was that, like other high schools, comprehensive high schools offering a vocational component will have to make a commitment to excellence if they are to continue to serve a useful…