Many of our schools are situated in communities characterized by high levels of
disadvantage, presenting a range of challenges. One possible response is to
acknowledge this disadvantage and to try to address some of the problems it raises
for students. Another is for the school to be proactive, recognizing the challenges
faced by the community and taking a lead in bringing about change. Part of a larger
research project, this article explores the extraordinary leadership role of
Prospect Road State School (a pseudonym) in bringing change to a multiply
disadvantaged community though collaborative action with other agencies and creative
approaches to bringing people together. This school's experiences and achievement
illustrate what may be possible when school leadership proactively sets out to
improve a community described by the principal as being `in crisis'. The experiences
explored indicate ways of rethinking the relationship between school and
disadvantaged community — of working synergistically with others to make
a significant difference.
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