The goals of Community Schools as outlined in Building Communities of Hope are: student learning and success; a high quality education program; shared responsibility; comprehensive, responsive services; enhanced participation in public education by Indian and Métis peoples; community empowerment, equity and cultural harmony; and leadership in educational innovation.

The effective practices used by Community Schools to achieve these goals are: a caring and respectful school environment; responsive curriculum and instruction; assessment for learning; adaptive leadership; authentic partnerships; and, comprehensive prevention and early intervention.

The four key components of the Saskatchewan Community Schools framework are:

1. The Learning Program,
2. Family and Community Partnerships,
3. Integrated Services, and
4. Community Development.

These four components work together to provide the comprehensive range of supports required for the education and well-being of children, youth and their families. While the learning program is at the forefront of Community Schools, its success depends on the effectiveness of the other three components, which together provide the foundation for critical supports to its effectiveness and to the success of the students in the school.

1. The Learning Program

The learning program is grounded in the provincial curriculum. In addition, it offers a full range of educational supports aimed at increasing students' academic and life success. Its focus is on incorporating educational practices and responses that respect and reflect the experience, culture and socio-economic background of the students and the community and includes:

• prevention and early intervention programming;
• a responsive, high quality academic program;
• retention, re-entry, and youth transitions programming; and
• adult learning opportunities.

2. Family and Community Partnerships

Community Schools direct significant effort towards developing meaningful partnerships with families and community. School personnel are inclusive in their efforts to involve family and community members who may not readily become involved in the school. For example, trust of the school may need to be rebuilt with some families.

Students, families and community members work in partnership with school staff to enhance student learning at home, in the school and in the community. Together they create a shared vision, set school/community goals and identify issues and priorities. This includes accessing resources, setting school policy, planning, implementing and evaluating school activities, solving problems and identifying outcomes.

The Community School and the people and organizations linked to it, develop a strong and mutually supportive relationship. Students have a variety of learning opportunities both in the community and when the community comes into the classroom. Community members share expertise and life experiences with students as part of the learning program.

3. Integrated Services

In Community Schools, the school is a hub of the community, serving as a community "centre" and a meeting place where an array of services and supports are available. Through the integration of services, community, government and community-based organizations collaborate to make the best use of existing resources, ensuring that services are available in a coordinated and comprehensive manner to support an evolving role of schools.

Some children and youth are unable to take full advantage of the learning program because of complex social, emotional, health and developmental issues, which are barriers to their learning. The services and supports they need cut across the boundaries of schools, human service agencies, and different departments and levels of government. Community Schools play a key role in their communities, serving as centres for families to access an array of health, social, counselling, justice, personal support and recreation services either linked to or available within the school.

4. Community Development

Community Schools work together with youth, families, communities, Aboriginal organizations, and human service partners. Community development is about identifying connecting and mobilizing the strengths within the community to achieve desired outcomes. For community development to work, strong relationships need to be in place as well as a respectful, welcoming and inclusive school culture and environment. As schools facilitate this process with families and community, leadership opportunities are created where everyone builds the capacity necessary to ensure success and well-being.

Community development is an inclusive, educational and motivational process that engages and empowers people and communities to actively participate in guiding their social and economic affairs. Much work goes into developing relationships with the entire community and listening to their hopes, dreams and needs. This relationship-building occurs in both formal and informal ways. Community development may be new territory for schools and requires the involvement of all to ensure success. The community development role of schools means that they create the conditions for authentic community engagement and work with community in a respectful and inclusive way towards a shared vision of achieving success and well-being for all.

• Building Communities of Hope (2004)