ABSTRACT
Schools organized as communities exhibit a set of common understandings among the members of the organization. Bryk, Lee, and Holland (1993) define a ‘communal school organization’ through three critical components: a set of values shared among the school community, a set of shared activities of both an academic and nonacademic type and a distinctive set of social relations among the faculty, parents and students. Because parents have selected the independent school for its particular educational program, members of the community share a common belief in what students should learn, how students and teachers will interact, and how the students’ academic and social behavior will reflect the intent of the school. As a result of this common agenda, reflected in the curriculum and in the teachers’ commitment, the school participants work cohesively, facilitating personal ties to the school. Due to this, students share similar academic and social experiences that bind them to the school’s traditions and its future.
