Community Partner Relationships: An Acknowledgement of Spanish Students' Impact

Have you communicated with your community partners lately?
by Ann Abbott

One of the volunteer coordinators at a local school with whom I have worked for many years is handing over her duties at that school to a new coordinator. I sent her a message wishing her well in her new role and thanking her for everything that she has done to help both me and my students over the years.

Her reply:
Annie,
 Thanks you for the kind words.  I will miss working with you and your students!  What a blessing you all have been to our bilingual students and teachers.   You were the first group of volunteers I was fortunate enough to work with, and you're still my favorite.
 Take care,  
When we do Spanish community service learning, we fill real community-identified needs. Our work is important, in big and small ways.

Communication is the key to successful community-campus partnerships. Communicate often with your partners. Communicate in order to celebrate good things. Communicate so that everyone is in the loop about challenges, too. Communicate because that is how we form and maintain relationships.


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