Trust, respect, and caring are crucial components in achieving or maintaining school effectiveness. This paper presents findings of a case study that examined the ways in which one urban school manifested particular characteristics of community--those of respect, caring, and trust. The one-year case study at an elementary school in Los Angeles (California) gathered data through participant observation, interviews, and document analysis. The study found that school improvement is contingent upon changing school cultures and patterns of relating, rather than making only structural changes. Teachers and administrators in the school worked together to reach their goals of helping students become educated thinkers and caring members of society. School personnel also interacted with parents and students in ways that manifested caring, trust, and respect, resulting in home-school collaboration. (Contains 42 references.) (LMI)