Understanding the development of community within schools, while critical, has always been problematic. The recent focus on high-stakes standardized testing has only exacerbated this phenomenon and further promoted the dehumanization of students in our schools. An urgent need in research today is to study what strategies are most effective in developing relationships between the school and the home. This qualitative case study examined how one “highly-impacted” elementary school is finding success in developing community relationships.

This study seeks to understand the practical approaches utilized to cultivate connections between the school and its participants and constituents. The intent of the study was also to uncover how strategies are employed to overcome the obstacles that preclude such connections. The findings of the study illuminate how a school community can overcome the obstacles that get in the way of creating meaningful connections with all school constituents. This research has the potential to lend valuable insight into policies and practices educational leaders use to sustain connected learning communities, thereby enhancing the engagement and learning of all school stakeholders.