Detailed Steps to Forming School Partnerships

Before a church goes to a school to explore a partnership, it should prepare itself internally to be ready to build a sustainable partnership. Boston Public Schools’ Office of Engagement (BPS) and Emmanuel Gospel Center’s Boston Education Collaborative (BEC) program can provide support to help a church build connections with schools. BPS and the BEC can also share best practices and tools as well as connect the church to greater network of school partners (both faith-based and community-based) that can serve as additional resources.

Step 1 – Internal Assessment

Pray and Assess…

  1. The interest and source of motivation from both leadership and the congregational level to partner with a school.
  2. Existing internal interest, capacity and resources to provide or develop support and resources to schools, students, and families. Use the BPS Resource Assessment Survey as a tool to foster dialogue amongst leaders and congregants.
  3. Internal capacity to build and sustain a healthy, long-term partnership in the areas of leadership and resources.

Step 2 – Building Internal Infrastructure

  1. Identify a lead person from the church to serve as a liaison and coordinator for the partnership team.
  2. Recruit additional members with various giftings for the team which can help to handle tasks and mobilize other church members.
  3. Set up a structure and schedule for team communication and planning.
  4. Connect with BPS or the BEC to access information regarding CORI/SORI forms and for help using the BPS template for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
  5. For help with program development, trainings, and other technical assistance or advice, contact the BEC.
  6. Learn about various school and faith-based partnership models and consider which ones fit the internal resources and giftings of church members. Identify your top three to four areas of interest.

Step 3 – Identify and Communicate with Potential Partners

  1. Identify the geographical area that you are willing to pursue and potential school partners. Potential school partners can be either in the immediate vicinity of your church, be a school that some of your church members work in, or a school with needs that match well with the church’s resources.
  2. Contact BPS and/or the BEC so that they can help with the school matching process, support you in scheduling an exploratory meeting, and invite the church to the events that it offers for schools and their partners. Educate yourselves about current local education issues and where your school fits within the BPS structure.
  3. Initiate contact with the identified potential partner through BPS staff. Depending on the school organization, a good point person at the school could be the principal, but sometimes, there are staff members who serve as partnership coordinators and are better suited as the liaison to work with. Various BPS roles such as Community Field Coordinators, Partnership Coordinators, or even Guidance Counselors serve to build partnerships for a school. While a church can initiate contact with school leaders at any point, soliciting the help of the BPS Office of Engagement staff could make the navigation process easier since each BPS school has its own organizational structure which can change year to year.
  4. Schedule a meeting with the school liaison and/or principal to discover existing common areas for support or to consider resources that the church may develop to target existing school needs. Evaluate whether the needs/ resources as well as leadership style align to make this partnership a good match. Be flexible in arranging these meetings and come with a heart willing to serve others.
  5. Draft a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the school, church, and BPS to ensure that each is clear on the expectation and boundaries of the partnership in moving forward.

Step 4 – Build a Sustainable Partnership

  1. Form a partnership steering committee with members from each institution to create a vision for the partnership.
  2. Set short-term and long-term goals for the partnership. Build trust and capacity through beginning with small projects and expanding your engagement in scope and number as you learn from your partnership. Be patient. Commit to carrying things out with excellence. Accept that the partnership is an extra responsibility for school leaders as well.
  3. Identify the desired outcomes from the partnership and ways to measure those outcomes.
  4. Organize teams or individuals from the church who will be responsible for the program logistics, resource development, communication, and program evaluation of partnership activities. Schedule regular team meetings.
  5. Provide training for volunteers so they understand the school’s priorities and requirements. 6.Keep the BPS & BEC informed on the development of the partnership
  6. Schedule regular meetings with school leaders as needed to assess the partnership and to conduct ongoing evaluation of the partnership:
  • Measure and report progress towards the achievement of planned outcomes and objectives.
  • Modify plans based on results and feedback. Don’t give up!
  • Expand the scope and/or number of activities based on successful implementation of activities.

Step 5 – Multiplying and Magnifying

  1. Participate in the BPS Office of Engagement or Greater Boston church-school partnership network and events to share and learn from the models of various partnerships, successes, challenges, and best practices.
  2. Invite additional churches to partner with the same school or a different school to increase the level of resources to support the school, students, and families, toward increased student academic achievement.
  3. Support the school by attending open meetings & events at the school where possible
  4. Pray for the children, teachers, families and school in your church
  5. Publicize and celebrate your partnership: post photos from events, with permission from the school, on your church website and this one, seek local press for service days and events, tell the positive stories and let troubles go.

* Adapted from Boston Public Schools Office of Community Engagement’s Faith-based Partnership Guidebook (2012), and Ten Steps for School Partnerships, created by Meg McDermott from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.