The mission of the Office of Business/Industry Relations is to develop, promote, and coordinate collaborative efforts between the business community and the schools to create and foster relationships beneficial to the school division and total community.

Fairfax County Public Schools supports and encourages development of partnerships to strengthen and enhance the quality of education and to promote community involvement with the schools.

Business-education partnerships are mutually beneficial relationships between employers and educators that are designed to enhance student learning. They may involve other education stakeholders as partners, including students, employees, teachers, parents, and other organizations. Partnerships are cooperative relationships in which partners share values, objectives, resources, roles, and responsibilities in order to increase student achievement.

Training and workshops on a variety of topics. Learn how to:

• Manage a successful partnership (for new partnerships)
• Benefit from what other's have learned
• Determine the role of the business coordinator
• Manage as a new coordinator
• Develop effective partnership goals and objectives
• Connect your partnership to the school plan
• Evaluate your partnership
• Develop recognition activities

Consulting Services:

• Finding a business partner
• Recruiting procedures
• Assessing readiness to begin a program
• Developing an action plan
• Integrating the partnership into the school
• Marketing your program
• Evaluating effectiveness
• Defining roles

Publicity:

• Prepare an article about your partnership for the PIE Newsletter
• Featured your partnership on cable Channel 21 programs
• Disseminate your partnership activities to the local media

Creating good schools and an environment that values learning and rewards hard work cannot be the sole responsibility of educators. It requires the cooperative efforts of the entire community. The partnership pays dividends for both partners; there are many benefits to businesses and schools working together. The following are several examples of benefits:

to the students:

• improved self-image
• increased motivation resulting in better achievement and attendance
• enriched curriculum
• increased awareness of career options
• identification with successful role models
• better understanding of the free enterprise system
• improved preparation for the world of work
• acquisition of new skills

to the educators:

• support for education reform initiatives
• new curriculum/teaching resources and ideas
• increased awareness of business work force needs
• professional development opportunities
• improved administrative and management practices
• recognition and support for efforts

to the community:

• strong public school system which attracts new business and industry
• well prepared work force which allows businesses to prosper
• literate citizenry
• employable public school graduates

to the business:

• visibility and recognition for valued community service and an enhanced corporate image
• a chance to improve students' basic skills and entry-level job skills
• a more realistic view of public education
• tax deductions (state and federal) for donations of equipment and supplies to schools
• improved transfer of learning from classrooms to practical applications at work
• personal satisfaction generated from involvement with students

1. Provide choral and/or band entertainment for company events.
2. Provide use of the school's facilities: meeting rooms, athletic fields, auditorium, and gymnasium.
3. Display student artwork in business offices.
4. Volunteer students as interns.
5. Host business leaders for a day.
6. Host recognition reception for company volunteers.
7. Submit a student column for company newsletters.
8. Provide complimentary tickets to athletic events and plays.
9. Put your partner on your mailing list...communicate.
10. Provide visibility by submitting partnership information to be used in press releases, human-interest articles, and school publicity.
11. Thank your partner...notes from students are particularly effective.
12. Provide space in the school to highlight partnership activities.
13. Invite your partner to shadow a teacher or administrator.
14. Initiate a student partners club or have the Student council assist with planning partnership activities.
15. Honor your partner with a ceremony to reaffirm the partnership each year.
16. Establish ONE coordinator at the school to channel all ides and coordinate activities.
17. Initiate a logo contest to design a logo for partnership activities.
18. Invite your partner to serve on advisory committees, task forces, etc.
19. Conduct a tour of school and explain curriculum.
20. Invite your partner to participate in school career day.
21. Provide activity space for a partnership column in your school newsletter for parents.
22. Host continental breakfast, afternoon reception, or dinner to honor employees who volunteer.
23. Give an update on partnership activities at PTA meetings.
24. Share school and student successes with partners, particularly where the partner has been involved.

1. Sponsor extracurricular activities such as computer/math clubs, science clubs, etc.
2. Provide guest speakers related to curriculum areas.
3. Grant special awards for students or faculty.
4. Initiate teacher recognition programs.
5. Provide shadowing experiences for teachers and students.
6. Include teachers in relevant business training in TQM or other areas.
7. Establish a scientist visitation program.
8. Conduct tour of facility for teachers and students.
9. Provide summer employment for teachers.
10. Provide corporate release time for employees to tutor or mentor students during the school day.
11. Recognize students who enroll in honors or advanced placement classes.
12. Provide expertise in public relations to raise the image of schools or to promote partnership involvement.
13. Provide incentives to potential dropouts to encourage their graduation from school.
14. Provide seminars for students, faculty, or parents.
15. Provide curriculum support materials.
16. Donate materials or used equipment to schools.
17. Sponsor educational field trips.
18. Display student work or notices of school events.
19. Provide opportunities for students to serve as "CEO for a Day."
20. Provide space in business publications to highlight partnership activities.
21. Provide space for school training, meetings, or events.
22. Provide an inspirational and motivational speaker to address teachers.
23. Provide technology assistance for teachers.
24. Provide mini-grants to support innovative teaching ideas and projects.
25. Conduct a math or science enrichment academy for students on Saturday.
26. Provide volunteers for an after-school tutorial program.
27. Provide leadership experiences for the Student Council.
28. Assist youth with special needs.
29. Work with the school to involve parents.
30. Lend copying equipment for big projects such as school newspaper or handbook.
31. Exchange personnel with the school.
32. Sponsor faculty participation in staff development activities or out-of-town conferences.
33. Conduct career awareness seminars for students and teachers.

The principal, or school coordinator directly responsible to the principal, administers/supervises the partnership for the school. He/she acts as a catalyst to the program's success and is a liaison for the business volunteers and faculty.

Once the principal delegates the responsibility, the school coordinator has the following responsibilities:

• Keeps the principal informed about the program's progress, either verbally or through written memos.
• Is responsible for the school's adherence to the principles of the program.
• Develops a strong relationship with the business coordinator.
• Assists business coordinator in matching volunteers to school needs.
• Documents time, placement, scheduling, evaluation, and program changes.
• Coordinates schedules at the school.
• Promotes the program.
• Creates a broad-based ownership of the program.
• Attends initial training session given by the Office of Business/ Industry Relations and assists in staff orientation.
• Serves as a member of the Partnership Steering Committee.
• Treats the program as a priority.
• Completes annual evaluation from Fairfax County Public Schools.

• Keeps the Chief Executive Office informed about the program's progress, either verbally or through written memos.
• Is responsible for the company's adherence to the principles of the program.
• Directs the assessment of financial assistance, manpower, and time.
• Recruits in-house volunteers.
• Develops a strong relationship with the school coordinator.
• Assists school coordinator in matching volunteers to school needs.
• Documents time, placement, scheduling, evaluation, and program changes.
• Coordinates schedule and time released with the volunteer's supervisor.
• Promotes the program.
• Creates a broad-based ownership of the program.
• Attends initial training session given by the Office of Business/ Industry Relations and assists in staff orientation.
• Serves as a member of the Partnership Steering Committee.
• Treats the program as a priority.
• Completes annual evaluation from Fairfax County Public Schools.