Week 5 Discussion 2 Hierarchy of Needs Hjalmarson focuses on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Triangle to prioritize school outreach efforts. Why do you think it is important to concentrate on basic needs first? What is your experience with schools that understand the imperative to take care of basic needs as step one of any school to parent outreach program? INSTRUCTOR GUIDANCEWEEK FIVE *Special thanks to Dr. Patrice Jones for sharing her original guidance in this document. According to the National Education Association (NEA) President Dennis Roekel, "research and field-work show that parent-school partnerships improve schools, strengthen families, build community support, and increase student achievement and success" (Roekel, 2008, para. 5). Schools cannot work alone in getting students to improve learning. There has to be a structured, strategic plan that includes other stakeholders. A variety of potential community groups such as police officers, firefighters, civil rights, and youth services organizations are great examples of resources that can be involved in the teaching and learning process. Consider the benefits of seeking out this type of community support? What are some of the first steps in garnering the support of these leaders within the community? Additionally, when students get involved with this strategic planning in developing community relationships through service learning projects, the outcomes prove positive for social growth and academic development. The benefits of service learning project can be seen in the Service Learning: You Can Make a Difference (Links to an external site.) one and half minute video. The first step in establishing a successful partnership between schools and community is the initial planning phase. This sets the foundation by assessing the school’s needs, establishing goals and objectives, and developing a vision for the future. One of the key factors is getting those individuals involved who have a genuine interest and care about what happens to the schools within the community. Price (2008) explains that through the “community mobilization” process, schools engage the community to create a list of community priorities, resources, needs, and solutions that promote stakeholder accountability and positive student support. He believes that by "mobilizing the village" and having community meetings related to education, support for education can be garnered (Price, 2008, p. 90). The concern, however, is recruiting school and community volunteers who will spearhead these partnerships. Educators may not feel qualified to assume this role, or may not have enough time to add another responsibility to their already-full plate. Price suggest that the key to getting teachers involved in creating partnerships is by tapping into their professional interest in community-based efforts in improving student success. A fully supportive community must include parental involvement. The efforts previous ...