Attention all partners and potential partners! The online partnership application for the 2020-2021 school year will be available right here on this page after July 15. Check back then for the application link. Thanks for your interest in making our schools even better!
What can partners do for schools?
Partners and their PIE ambassadors (school liaisons) can discuss and determine needs and level of involvement together. Be sure to share talents and offerings you or your staff have that could benefit schools. The partnership opportunities are limitless, but here are a few ideas to help get the creativity flowing.
- Mentoring - as one mentor says, "sometimes a student just needs an adult to talk to"
- Career mentoring - periodically visit with small groups of students interested in your career or wanting to learn about your career/industry
- Tutoring
- Offer job shadowing opportunities
- Offer field trip opportunities at your business or sponsor a field trip elsewhere
- Participate in mock interviews - help students getting ready for careers to polish their interview skills
- Participate in career fairs
- Offer internships to high school students
- Serve on advisory councils
- Serve as judges for academic and extracurricular competitions such as science fairs, art guilds, etc.
- Serve as guest readers
- Offer meeting space for occasional staff planning retreats
- Sponsor student celebrations; offer incentives such as discounts, door prizes, etc.
- Sponsor staff celebrations; offer incentives such as discounts, door prizes, etc.
- Provide recognition for the school's Teacher of the Year
- Provide volunteers at open houses, field days, awards days, etc.; provide refreshments/cooling stations for field days
- Offer financial support for clubs and other extracurricular activities, programs, projects, school supplies, media centers, etc.
What can schools do for partners?
We want the partnership to be mutually beneficial to schools and businesses and organizations. A mutually beneficial partnership is a winning partnership!
- Recognize partners on school marquee and in school newsletters
- List partners on school website and encourage families to use these businesses
- Submit photos of partner activities to local media and include them on school website and in school newsletters
- Have students write letters of thanks and send pictures to partners
- Provide tickets to school athletic and performing arts events and other special programs; recognize partners who attend over the PA
- Allow partners to speak at staff meetings or PTO meetings about their business or organization
- Work together on a community service project
- Host an annual partner appreciation event with refreshments and student entertainment; give awards such as certificates or student-made art