An Examination of a Catholic Elementary School's Engagement With a Latino Community

• In Event: 54.056 - African American and Latino Families in Catholic Schools: Historical and Current Perspectives

Abstract

An emerging body of research demonstrates the importance of addressing the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Latino students and their families in Catholic schools (Author, 2016; Darder & Fraga, 2016; Hosffman, 2014). This research examines how a Catholic elementary school engages with and responds to a Latino community. The case study includes the following data collection activities: 1) interviews with key stakeholders and leadership (parents, teachers and principal) and 2) participant observations of classroom practices/school activities over the course of one academic school year. An overall analysis of the data points to a shared leadership approach employed by the school principal that provided teachers and parents with the space and power to participate in the decision-making of the school.

Author

• Ursula S. Aldana, University of San Francisco