School Parent Partnerships
New information on the benefits of school parent partnerships and collaboration, as well as how to achieve it, is now available on the Great Schools Australia website.
School Parent Partnerships
I remember in the late 1990s being the President of the Parents & Friends Association at St Anthony’s Marsfield (in Sydney) and hearing all the talk about School Parent Partnerships.
At the time, St Anthony’s had a wonderful school community and the school parents were heavily involved in fundraising, tuckshop, education support, and other activities.
But I always thought, There must be a greater role that the parents can have in the actual decision-making within the school. After all, the answers to the education and development of our children is something that lies not just with the school executive but also the staff, parents and, subject to their age, the children themselves.
At the time, I had not discovered the approach called Future Search, which enables this to happen through a large group meeting or conference of what is called the ‘whole system’, ie a cross section of both relevant stakeholder groups and demographics.
OK, I have to confess a possible bias here — the Future Search approach is the main product of GSA.
But I can honestly say that I don’t know of a better approach.
That’s why a Sydney-based secondary school district professional called it “excellent”, a Sydney-based school principal described it as “outstanding”; a University CEO called it ‘”fantastic”, and a US-based primary school principal called it “powerful”.
In referring to 16 case studies on the use of the approach in North America, global education expert, Professor Michael Fullan used the words “exciting and inspiring”.
Like all interventions, there needs to be some starting point or need within the school. This can include any systemic issue including
- school cultural reform
- school strategic planning
- implementing an existing strategic plan
- change in your school
- school teaching and learning
- creating a school vision
- creating a healthy school, and
- building school community
In the meantime, here’s how to find out more about this approach.
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School Parents
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Case Studies
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Testimonials
“I can now honestly say that I have never seen such an approach produce such positive outcomes, goodwill and energy.”
– Deidre Anderson, CEO, U@MQ, Macquarie University
“An exciting and inspiring approach to tackling deeper systems transformation.”
– Professor Michael Fullan
“The Future Search conference encouraged me to take risks. When I heard about TIMMS (Third International Mathematics and Science Study), I went back to my colleagues and said, “I think we can do something with this. We finished 1st in Science and 6th in Maths.”
– Pat Franzen, Science Teacher, Naperville Community School District
“These exemplary principles for facilitating group process have helped us create the space where individuals can take responsibility for their own learning and act upon the decisions they make.”
– Deborah B Reeve EdD, Deputy Executive Director, National Association of Elementary School Principals
"The average scores for youth apprenticeship students went up 200 points on the Statewide standardised tests and enrolments increased by 300%. Today there is a waiting list!"
– Mike Erwin, Principal, North Montgomery County Technical Career School
“I was very impressed with the Future Search approach and have used aspects of it in my own school.”
– Richard Morgan, Principal, The Pittwater House Schools