Business & Education Partnership

March 2, 2010
By: Bay Area Chamber of Commerce

      
Improving the quality of education for students throughout Bay County is a goal of your Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. To help accomplish this goal, your Chamber has developed a very effective Business & Education Partnership connecting school leaders and business leaders.


This year, Dr. Tina Kerr, Superintendent of Bangor Township Schools, is the Chair of the Business & Education Partnership.


The Steering Committee is made up of superintendents of each school district in Bay County, local college presidents and the Business & Education Partnership Council.


A few of the twenty specific programs provided by your Bay Area Chamber of Commerce include:

* Host a Business and Education Forum to provide an opportunity for businesses and educators to network while learning about key issues affecting Bay County schools and our future workforce.


* Offer Youth Leadership Bay County, which helps students from Bay County's eight high schools increase their community knowledge and understanding and continue efforts to obtain scholarships to support the students in this program.


* Host a County Wide School Board of Education Meeting where members of each school board can address items that are most important to them.


* Coordinate Reading is Bay County's Business where business and community representatives read to students in elementary classrooms and discuss careers during March, Reading Month.


* Assist in educating the business community on business implications for Certificates of Completion versus a High School Diploma.


* Present a Career Exploration Program linking 8th graders throughout Bay County with post secondary educational institutions, career opportunities, and employers to be held at Delta College.


* Encourage business participation in K-14 education by managing, promoting and reformatting the Opportunity Connection website, which links business resources to educators and students via the INTERNET.


* Explore and implement informational programs to enhance understanding of current and future career opportunities, including a counselor/employer breakfast and Principal for a Day program.