Leadership and Family-School-Community Partnerships in a School Board–Wide Equity Initiative in Ontario, Canada

• In Event: Leading for Equity: Different Places, Different Faces, but the Same Inequities

Abstract

This study investigates leadership practices that fostered family-school-community partnerships in a Toronto-based, board-wide initiative which strives to enhance equity by increasing access to social and educational supports for students and families living in marginalized communities. A descriptive analysis of qualitative data from two school sites highlighted the importance of creating a welcoming physical and social school environment, fostering a culture of care and trust, two-way communication with families, encouraging parent leadership and advocacy, administrator leadership presence in the community, establishing the school as a social and cultural brokerage, and leveraging community partnerships and administrator’s personal social capital to address systemic inequities. The findings provide insight on school leadership strategies to create more equitable schools and communities in Canada and beyond.

Authors

• Natalie M Cummins, Ryerson University

• Sejal Patel, Ryerson University