A school without a community?  A community without a school?  Research shows that communities and their schools are intertwined.  Should one fail, the other is likely to also. 

New Leaders for Tomorrows Schools recently published an article called "The Importance of School and Community Collaboration".  This article reinforces the benefits gained when schools and communities work together to succeed.   "When families, schools and community institutions collectively agree upon their goals and decide how to reach them, everyone benefits."   Communities provide schools with the financial support system necessary for survival.  In return, schools provide instruction not only in academics, but in the social and cultural values of the community.  And, most importantly, schools have the potential to develop well-educated citizens ready to take on the responsibility as contributing community members.

The community financially supports their school district.  In return the community reaps benefits far beyond the academics of the classroom.

• Our Gold Award winning FFA program indoctrinates students in the value we place on agriculture.   The older students share those values with the elementary students in the Food For America program.
• Our Student Council learns of the value we place on caring for each other by participating in Relay for Life and other events - and the community and the country benefit.
• Through the Science program students learn the importance of keeping the Black Earth Creek healthy and the community will benefit as this new generation takes action to maintain our local environment. 
• Through school food drives our students learn the community value of helping our neighbors and taking care of our own.  We see this value reinforced in the school and community over and over with the Boehm Ball, the recent Gena Clarson benefit and the upcoming Behling family benefit, and our friends/neighbors benefit.