Staff at the Krasnoyarsk Center for Community Partnerships has encountered numerous obstacles while trying to create connectedness within the community school movement in their motherland of Russia. The sheer size of the country creates many logistical problems. For example, in a nation with 11 time zones, trying to find a convenient time for professionals to talk with their peers from other regions can be challenging.
While the frustrations are real, so are the rewards, said Elena Fomina, executive director of the Krasnoyarsk Center. She said similar challenges exist in creating camaraderie within the community school field internationally, but those results are also worth the effort.
For Fomina, one concrete way to unify the field is to hold an annual commemoration of International Community School Day. This year, the day will be celebrated March 1. Like in the past, Krasnoyarsk Center staff is coordinating the initiative.
“Having a day set aside each year to celebrate community schools internationally plays an important role in transforming networks and building partnerships between countries,” Fomina said.
Proclaiming a global day for community schools – schools in which educators, parents and community members are regarded as partners – began in 2000. Since then, the celebration has grown to include many regions of Russia, and it also has spread to several countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). In 2006, newcomers to the festivities include community schools in Azerbaijan and Belarus. Past participants have included schools in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Serbia and Montenegro, Ukraine and elsewhere.
“Each year, more and more communities are joining the community school movement. These schools are recognized as innovative. They are known for having strong leaders. The schools are used as community centers that attract resources to meet local needs. They are centers that unite people who are working to change and develop their communities,” said Fomina, adding that local governments often appreciate the work that community schools do.
Some municipalities, such as the city of Samara in western Russia, will officially recognize International Community School Day. City leaders want to honor top community schools and acknowledge effective parents groups by presenting them with “letters of thanks” for the work they do in this city of more than 1.1 million people. In addition to the presentations, there also will be plenty of time for tea drinking and socializing, a favorite pastime of Russians when the frigid winter weather keeps people indoors, Fomina said with a smile.
Among other things, hundreds of community schools in CEE and Russia will commemorate the day by:
- hosting open houses with exhibitions of photographs, drawings and other artifacts showing the variety of programs offered at community schools;
- sponsoring essay competitions that require students to describe their community schools;
- showing films and hosting concerts;
- organizing sporting events;
- stirring local patriotism by inviting war veterans to share their stories; and
- providing general information about community schools to the mass media.
Community schools differ from region to region because they reflect the culture and customs of the communities in which they are located, but all share three key components, Fomina said.
“No matter where you are or how you develop your policies, practices and programs, there is always a need for three important notions – democracy, volunteerism and partnership. They are at the core of community schools, whether in big cities or small rural villages. When you bring people together to work through democratic processes, you build better communities.”
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