For the second consecutive year, Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) has earned the prestigious Partnership District Award from the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University. The award reflects the division’s strong commitment to developing meaningful partnerships which link schools, families, and the larger community in order to support student achievement.

“Certainly our mentors, volunteers, and military and business partners work closely with school staff, donating time and talent in support of increased student achievement,” said Melissa McQuarrie, Director of Community Relations for VBCPS. “But we must also take the time to really get to know our families and identify their needs; only then can we find the most effective ways to serve them.”

Virginia Beach City Public Schools was selected for the Partnership District Award based on the quality of the division’s teamwork, action plans, activities, and demonstrated progress over time. In fact, eight VBCPS programs were sited as “best practices” and are featured in a book distributed nationally by the National Network of Partnership Schools. These promising partnership practices include:

• African American Male Summit : “Living the Dream” – Tallwood High School
  This day-long summit brought middle and high school students together to focus on issues of race, peer pressure, academic success and goal-setting. The program opened with a panel discussion led by African American educators and leaders from the business community. Additional breakout sessions included information on test preparation, student empowerment, the importance of rigorous coursework, maintaining positive relationships, and community service opportunities.

• Family Literacy Night – Pembroke Elementary School
  This evening event featured separate sessions for parents and young students. While parents learned about literacy and brain research from a guest speaker, children were treated to a story hour. School staff teamed up with the United Way’s Raising a Reader program to secure a guest speaker and provide informational materials. Meanwhile, the school’s PTA donated necessary fees for the local storyteller.

• FAST Program – Rosemont Elementary School
  FAST – Families and Schools Together – combined school resources and existing City services to educate parents about family health and wellness. For nine weeks, families came together for a series of weekly workshops, parent-child activities, and potluck dinners. Weekly discussion topics ranged from preventing bullying and drug abuse to improving family communication and resolving conflict.

• First Impression Training – VBCPS Office of Community Relations
  In response to parent feedback that schools are sometimes intimidating to parents, VBCPS implemented customer service training for staff with the goal of creating a more welcoming environment for parents and visitors. More than 500 teachers, staff, and school administrators participated in the four-hour program. Shortly after, the district mobilized a group of “secret shoppers” to phone and visit schools anonymously to gauge how well the skills learned at training were put into practice.

• Money Matters Program – Lynnhaven Elementary School
  Nearly 300 students and parents visited the imaginary town of Pennyville for an evening of family activities aimed at improving student math skills and test performance. In a carnival-like atmosphere, families completed two dozen learning activities addressing specific math concepts and objectives.

• Papa John’s Pizza Party Patrol – W.T. Cooke Elementary School
  In an effort to help boost student attendance, the staff of Cooke Elementary developed a unique incentive for families. Every month, a student from each class with perfect attendance was selected to have a pizza party – complete with pizza, drinks, balloons, and dessert – delivered by school staff to the family’s home. This experience brought staff into the community and allowed parents to become involved in a school activity without taking time away from obligations at home.  

• Parent and Child Project Planner – Windsor Oaks Elementary School
  By providing materials, resources, and teacher support Windsor Oaks Elementary staff demystified a class project, expanded student thinking, and increased parental involvement. All third grade students were assigned a research project, which culminated with the construction of a diorama. Before the due date, the school hosted a diorama workshop complete with construction materials. Teachers volunteered to display past work, serve as consultants, and explain the grading rubric.

• Vocational/Work Experience Program (WINGS Grant) – Tallwood High School
  This program offered special education students the opportunity to gain vocational training in a business environment. The manager of an area Chick-fil-A worked in tandem with teachers and parents to develop and implement an “on the job” experience for students with disabilities. A job coach and students from the school’s gifted program partnered with the special education students to guide them through the vocational training. The results are tangible as at least one student was hired by the restaurant after graduating from high school.

In 1995, researchers at Johns Hopkins University established NNPS to develop school, family, and community partnerships to help students succeed. For additional information about educational partnerships in Virginia Beach City Public Schools, please contact the Office of Community Relations at 263-1936.

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