Although schools have their own uniqueness and similarities, there are specific ways the school principal can provide the leadership to make a school very special in the community. Through the use of some tried-and-true strategies that other successful principals have used, they can make their mark and put the school in the forefront of the community. To be effective, a well-developed school-community relations plan must be developed. The 10 components of such a plan are the following:

♦ Provide the people with information about their schools. ♦ Provide the school with information about the community. ♦ Establish and maintain public confidence in the schools. ♦ Secure community support for the school and its program. ♦ Develop a commonality of purpose, effort, and achievement. ♦ Develop in the community a recognition of the vital importance of ed-

ucation in our social and economic life. ♦ Keep the community informed of new trends and developments in ed-

ucation. ♦ Develop an atmosphere of cooperation between the school and other

social institutions of the community.