Think for a moment about when you were growing up. You may have grown up in a small rural area or a large metropolitan city. However, chances are that regardless of where you grew up, you were involved in some type of school activity. Musical groups, sports, clubs, drama - all played an important part of your life and that of your community.

Today, schools still play that type of role in students' lives. However, many school sites are now open from morning until late evening, providing such services as daycare, learning programs, community based services, and events. Schools used for these purposes are often called community learning centers or community schools. The terms full-service schools, shared facilities, and schools as centers of the community are also used to describe how a building - a school - is being used beyond the regular 8:00 to 4:00 day.