At the core of what defines a school is how teachers and students interact and how effectively. Indeed, the stated primary purpose of The Country School is "to create an environment in which the primary relationships on campus can flourish - the student-teacher interactions." For the most part, this is why we choose a school for our children. What delights us about TCS is how its talented faculty, through nurturing dialogue, become the embodiment of our children's learning.

Because of our justifiable emphasis on the teacher-student relationship, we often, however, spend too little energy on the interactions between the adults of the school community - namely, teachers, administrators and parents. Already you can see that instead of one set of interactions, i.e. teacher-student, we suddenly have three. And when you add interactions within each group, the numbers expand further.

To better understand and improve these interactions, William Powers, Head of School, initiated a task force in October that became the Community Expectations Committee. Co-chaired by Mr. Dooman and Mrs. Crampton, the committee has as its charge to make explicit a common ethos that allows for healthy relationships between all constituencies resulting in a positive academic learning environment for our children.

Clearly, many, if not most, of the school's interactions between constituents are strong, respectful, and productive. It is not the charge of the committee, for example, to interfere with administrative reporting relationships, nor do we feel there are egregious rifts between any groups of adults. Our early work, however, has uncovered situations that might be improved through better understanding, definition of roles, respect, trust, and civility.

While our first task has been to understand the facts and appreciate the current state of affairs, our intention is clearly not to point fingers or assign blame. Rather, we intend to make recommendations for specific actions that will fulfill our charge. And while it is too early to identify all of those actions, we have observed that a parent-educator "covenant" and procedures for airing disputes have gone a long way in creating academic climates that the committee believes all of us seek.

What is a parent-educator covenant?

Whatever it is ultimately called, a parent-educator covenant is an agreement that guides behavior that leads to desired results. Its goal is to articulate conduct that we seek and expect from administrators, teachers, and parents whenever they interact with one another. Critical to its success is buy-in - our vision for such a document is that all adults will willingly and enthusiastically embrace its prescribed guidelines.

Such covenants are not new to schools like ours - your own online research may reveal several. A good place to start is the National Association of Independent Schools at www.nais.org. Those covenants that seem to the committee to be most effective are specific, active, and clear. This is not the place for platitudes and feel-good language that have no influence on behaviors. And as mentioned, any covenant needs to engender buy-in, but not at the expense of being watered-down.

This last point is, we expect, where we will encounter some friction. If the issues of communication and interactions that we are dealing with were not significant, there would be no need for the committee. As we explore these issues and prescribe actions, we welcome the dialogue, debate, and even disagreement that will inevitably occur.

We are also looking into an appropriate process for handling disputes once they arise. More specific than a "covenant," such a procedure would outline specific actions of how disagreeing parties should seek resolution. We are confident our work will only strengthen our already outstanding institution.

The Country School Ethos

The Community Expectations Committee was formed in response to the desire of the TCS school community to make explicit a common ethos that allows for healthy relationships between all constituencies resulting in a positive, academic learning environment for our children. As is customary in The Country School community, the Mission Statement provided the committee with the philosophical framework for discussion and the resultant statement of school purpose.

Statement of Purpose
At the most elementary level, the purpose of The Country School community is to establish an environment in which the primary relationships on campus can flourish, that between students and teachers. Thus, we believe strongly that the worth of all TCS initiatives must be measured by how well they support and benefit student-teacher interactions.

In Support of the Purpose
In order to support the student/teacher relationship, it is essential for home and school to work collaboratively to forge a common understanding rooted in a set of values.

The notion of responsibility is central to the understanding of the school's core values. Specifically, we are all responsible for supporting the school's primary purpose of establishing an environment conducive to teaching and learning by the two most important groups on campus - teachers and students. Thus, responsibility becomes the umbrella under which the school places the values of honesty, respect, and trust

The key elements in a harmonious relationship between home and the school are honesty, respect and trust. At the core, it is honesty that engenders respect and establishes trust. This is done through effective communication that allows all to work in support of the school's aims of educating the child. The practice of honesty, respect, and trust will foster civility, encourage humility, and maintain the dignity of all members of the community.

Practical Applications
Parents and faculty and administration work most effectively in support of the teacher/student relationship when each respects the other's contributions to the learning process. Parents offer unique insights into their children. They also support the school by contributing varied professional services and experiences, through the commitment of time in volunteer efforts, and by means of financial support. The faculty and administration provide professional expertise and are responsible for carrying out academic and extra-curricular programs in keeping with the mission of the school

The relationships between the parents and faculty and administration are formally governed by the school's written enrollment contract. When parents choose to enroll their child at The Country School, they agree to subscribe to its mission, follow TCS's rules, and abide by its decisions. The Head of School is the final arbiter of disputes for the school. If there exists an impasse so severe that a parent cannot remain a constructive member of the community, both the parent and the school should consider whether another school would be a better match for the family.

Guidelines for Effective Communication

• Remember, we are all here for the same purpose - to foster an environment in which our children can grow and learn.
  
  
• Bring concerns, questions, and ideas to the right place. Too often, we approach the person with whom we are most comfortable. This may not always be the most direct path to communicate your thoughts. Consider carefully who is in the position closest to the situation you would like to discuss. If necessary, refer to the TCS Handbook or ask an administrator for help in determining what is the best course of action.
  
  
• Ask the right questions. Ascertain all the facts before coming to conclusions
  
  
• Know when to ask for help to gain perspective on a situation. Parents should rely on the experience of educators to provide information on how a student is doing. Teachers should rely on parents to offer specific insights into their children.
  
  
• Always assume that everyone is trying to do his or her best
  
  
• Be mindful of the pronouns used. This has distinct ramifications for ownership of a situation especially when all the adults need to work together in an effort to help a child. We all are responsible "to and for supporting the school's primary purpose of establishing an environment conducive to teaching and learning by the two most important constituencies on the campus - teachers and students.
  
  
• Always allow people to maintain their dignity. We all need to feel as if a discussion was fruitful and productive. While parents may not agree with every decision made by the school, in most cases, the parent and school in support of the child will find enough common ground to continue a mutually respectful relationship
  
  
• Avoid the "pyrrhic victory" - making your point at all costs, at the risk of destroying a working relationship.
• Respect the need for confidentiality in certain situations
  
  
• Communicate concerns openly and constructively with the appropriate school personnel. Understand that efforts by parents to lobby other parents will be viewed as counterproductive.