How Rural New England Superintendents Create Community Engagement

Abstract

America has a rich history of commitment to democratic values and ensuring that our public has a voice in how our communities provide public education. Ensuring public participation is especially true in the rural parts of our nation as they have a strong connection to the schools and their children. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis study was to determine the lived experience of rural northern New England superintendents who engage their communities. Using the Critical Place-Conscious Leadership, this study investigated the following research question: What is the lived experience of a rural northern New England superintendent who participate in community engagement? This study included six superintendents who serve completely rural areas within their school districts. This study suggests that superintendents who engage their communities believe in a partnership with their communities built upon open and honest communication and is relationship driven. They also think they must purposefully plan all activities and flexibly altered by the stakeholders' feedback to ensure successful participation. Ultimately, the superintendents in this study believe they can build support and trust in their school system due to their community engagement.