A Phenomenological Qualitative Study of Sense of Community in an Inner-City Parochial School: Expanding the Seats at the Table.

<p>St. Angela’s School is an elementary school in the Austin area of Chicago. This phenomenological qualitative study examined Sense of Community (SOC) at St. Angela’s, operationalized as “<strong>The feeling that St. Angela School is welcoming, psychologically and physically safe, that I matter, I am respected, and that I belong</strong>.” As an inner-city, parochial school, St. Angela’s has seen extensive changes in the neighborhood and the student population, both in ethnicity and enrollment. The last two principals requested a study of its SOC to identify solutions as diminished enrollment and teacher turnover have threatened its continued existence.</p> <p>Thirty-three individuals were interviewed who were interested in the school's success and represented a wide breadth of experience and attachments to the school: administration, parents, teachers, students, support staff, volunteers, alumni, neighbors, and civic authorities. The results were illuminating with an exciting array of solutions offered by those “invited to the table.”</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation - Public Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Community Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Darnall, Mary Andree

Contributors dc:contributor

• Raymond Legler PhD
• Bradley Olson PhD
• Ericka Mingo PhD

• Sense of community
• phenomenological qualitative methodology
• parochial elementary school
• inner-city Chicago
• expanding voices
• shared power in schools.
• Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/895

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.nl.edu:diss-1964