Policy 1300.1

Community Relations

Community Engagement

The purpose of community engagement is to create a collaborative environment in which students, parents/guardians, families, residents, businesses and community organizations are encouraged and invited to be involved stakeholders in the school community. Such engagement strengthens broad-based community support for the District’s mission, goals, operations and educational programs.

Community engagement is defined as an ongoing collaborative process in which the District works with the public to build understanding, guidance, and active support for the education of students in the community.

Therefore, the Board of Education endorses the concept that community engagement is essential for the District and the community to maintain mutual understanding, respect and trust, and to work together to improve the quality of education for District students. The Board intends, through this two-way communication, to identify the community’s concerns, needs and suggestions, and to be responsive to the community through the Board’s actions.

The Board also recognizes that the public offers resources of training and experience useful to schools. The quality of the District’s operations and programs can be strengthened when these resources are used in an advisory capacity.

The Board, in consultation with the Superintendent and the administration, shall determine the appropriate strategy to engage the community at large.


Policy adopted: May 5, 2015                                          
NEWTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Newtown, Connecticut
EFFECTIVE: July 1, 2015