School & Community Relations

Catalog description

This course explores two areas of school leadership that are essential for improving student achievement: (a) developing a vision of teaching and learning that is shared by all stakeholders, and (b) enhancing school-community relationships. The course examines ways to develop, communicate, implement, and monitor/evaluate a shared vision; and examines the importance of understanding and responding to community needs, valuing diversity, striving for equal educational opportunity and equity, and improving the quality and nature of school/community interactions. Students will assess, reflect on, and improve their own interpersonal skills; explore basic principles of effective communication and public relations; and apply those skills and principles in authentic settings. The course emphasizes the school leader's role in developing and maintaining sensitive, ethical, and open communication with and among all individuals, communities, and constituencies served by the school. The primary emphases of the course are strategies to involve teachers, administrators, parents and policymakers in decision-making and to maintain effective public relations with key community groups. Field hours will be required. EDU 659 and EDU 660 Elementary & Secondary Principals Internship I & II 3 credits each These courses are field-based experience worth 180 hours each. They are offered consecutively from fall through spring academic sessions in given K-12 school settings and practiced under the supervision of a qualified School Principal or Administrator working in collaboration with Lincoln University’s Internship Faculty. The purpose of these internships is to provide potential K-12 school principal candidates a year of experiential learning activities and provide them with on-the-job methods and practices of successful school leadership. Candidates will be able to demonstrate integrated…