Recognizing Best Practices – Model Partnerships
Beginning in 2000-2001, the VBCPS Partnership Advisory Link (PAL), an advisory body made up of school and community representatives, began annually recognizing Model Partnerships. Through a nomination and panel review process, each school year's Model Partnerships are selected as examples of best practices of meaningful community involvement in our school district.
Model partnerships are selected based on the following criteria. The partnership:
- Had a clearly stated purpose
- Enabled students to be engaged in innovative educational activities
- Had a positive impact on student learning and achievement
- Was mutually beneficial to both organizations
- Added value to the educational initiatives in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools and to the community organization
- Learn how to establish a partnership with Virginia Beach City Public Schools
2012 Model Partnerships
Books-A-Million and Salem Elementary
A learning community where reading is a fun and interactive experience has truly come to life at Salem Elementary where partner Books-A-Million not only shares ideas and resources, but models a genuine love of reading for young people by demonstrating that it's never too early to begin reading. Helping to implement an early intervention program for preschoolers set to attend Salem within the next 2 years, Books A Million began planning activities, organizing volunteers, and providing resources for four "Salem Lambs" meetings throughout the year. Books-A-Million volunteers can also be counted on to assist at the school's Reading Nights, Health and Fitness Event, and Field Day. The staff also serves as guest readers during Reading Month and hosts "Story Time" at the bookstore each January. This year, several fundraisers were spearheaded by this model partner to ensure that all fifth graders had an opportunity to attend a field trip to historically-rich Montpelier, Virginia. This partnership is certainly actively engaged in supporting student achievement.
Calvary Baptist Church and Pembroke Elementary
Calvary Baptist Church is a dream partner for Pembroke Elementary. Wherever there is a school, student, or staff need - Calvary eagerly provides the man or "woman" power to complete the task. This partner welcomes back teachers and staff with a fabulous luncheon in the fall, donates vast amounts of time to ensure new reading books and materials are prepared for student use, and runs the Mini-Mustang Library Program The program promotes reading at home for siblings of students in grades 1-5. Students check out books each week to read to their preschool brothers and sisters to encourage and share the love of reading during quality family time. When not supporting the mini mustangs, partners from the church can be found manning a Bounce House to celebrate great behavior in the cafeteria, or volunteering at the fall festival and spring field day. In addition, Calvary Baptist donated a snow cone machine as well as the use of church grounds for the annual Spring Fling. Pembroke is extremely appreciative to "The Hardy Boys," Fred, 78 and Marvin, 88 years old, who – after a quick stop at Hardee's each day – come to the school to water the learning garden over the summer. Without their dedication and diligence, students would not return to blooming flowers and healthy vegetables when each new school year begins. In the true spirit of partnership and giving back, Pembroke students happily conduct canned food drives throughout the year to fill Calvary's food pantry; not only is this a great way to learn social responsibility, but the food helps needy families in their own community. This partnership "CAN" do anything!
Chili’s Bar and Grill and Shelton Park Elementary
The partnership between Shelton Park Elementary and Chili's is "peppered" with opportunities for students. Activities are not only fun for students and families but curriculum- based. During Chili's Give Back nights, students work to complete grade level specific Chili's placemats (designed by the partnership) incorporating the state SOLs and the district objectives. The restaurant also provides 15% of each Give Back night's proceeds to the school to support programs. Chili's employees volunteer at the school in classrooms, lend support to Multicultural Math Literacy Nights and Shelton Park's annual Fall Festival by facilitating groups, welcoming families, and guiding parents and guests through the building. Of course, Chili's participation in the annual Welcome Back Partners in Education Picnic is a huge hit as parents and students get to learn more about the community members who are reaching out to support their neighborhood school. Whether facilitating a book drive for the Book Bag Program or assisting with community service projects, Chili's actively demonstrates a commitment to providing the community support needed to encourage student success. At the district level, Chili's also demonstrates its connection to VBCPS as a member of our Partnership Advisory Link and through its support of the Virginia Beach Education Foundation.
Clark Nexsen and Advanced Technology Center (ATC)
The Advanced Technology Center's partnership with the engineering firm, Clark Nexsen, began in 2006. Clark Nexsen is helping to shape tomorrow's workforce in numerous ways. They are preparing students to apply 21st century skills by serving as mentors, providing feedback on curricula, and communicating industry trends and market projections. Not only has this school partner provided valuable internships and field trips for ATC students, but Clark Nexsen has also hired three ATC alumni to work at the engineering firm. In the spirit of "paying it forward", these ATC alumni have served as guest speakers to both engineering design and architectural design classes and made a presentation on the importance of Career and Technical Education before a very prestigious group (our very own VBCPS School Board). In 2009, the ATC was awarded two STEM grants. Clark Nexsen engineers worked with students in and out of the classroom to build green houses and explore best practices in sustainability. According to senior Daniel Perry, "This internship has given me real world experience and a skill set that I will use throughout my life. I feel like I am a much better communicator which I can apply to any job."
Freedom Volvo and Parkway Elementary
Since 2008, James Church, President of Freedom Automotive, has gone above and beyond to support the Parkway Elementary community. What began as inspirational talks to motivate fifth grade students has evolved into a school wide partnership. For example, third and fifth graders visit the dealership to hone their knowledge of simple machines and to learn about the multitude of career opportunities and the skills needed for various occupations related to the auto industry. Freedom Volvo also provides generous funding for student and family activities like the Family Literacy Night, donates bountiful family baskets during the holidays, and supports the division the Beach Bags Program (a weekend food program for needy students). In the four years since the partnership began, student recognition has become a priority. Each quarter, Parkway students exhibiting outstanding citizenship are chauffeured to a celebratory luncheon at a local restaurant in a fancy new Freedom Automotive vehicle where they are treated like royalty. One fourth-grade student was recently quoted as saying, "I've never had someone do something so nice for me." Students are also very proud to have their artwork selected throughout the year to be displayed at one of the Freedom Automotive Dealerships. Freedom Volvo is the perfect example of what a community partnership is all about—doing what is best for OUR kids!
Global Nomads Group and Tallwood High
This globally diverse, 21st century partnership at Tallwood High's Global Studies and World Languages Academy is having a profound effect on students while providing "once in a lifetime" experiences. Through video conferencing, the exchange of dialogue and international exchange with students from various cultures, Academy students are provided authentic learning experiences and are afforded the opportunity to make an impact on the youth across the globe. For example, after speaking with children in Uganda who were rescued from a life of soldiery, Academy students (with the assistance of charitable organizations in Uganda) were able to raise over $10,000 to build a science facility at the Ugandan school. Three faculty members who led the project received an annual human rights award by the City of Virginia Beach. Another partnership opportunity included several students and a teacher from Tallwood High traveling to Indonesia this past year as participants in the "One Lens Project." They worked with the Global Nomads Group to create public service announcements (PSA) with Indonesian students meant to impact behavior choices among the world's youth. The PSAs highlight issues that teens across the world encounter; namely bullying, suicide, hunger, religious intolerance, homelessness, and recycling. Following the trip, two Indonesian students and their teacher visited Tallwood High for several weeks to continue to edit film taken from their trip and to create additional announcements that were debuted at a film festival. By exposing students to the global media industry, teaching them the technical and artistic skill set necessary for the 21st century communicator and providing a cultural exchange with other students, this partnership has helped Academy students solidify their global citizenship.
Liberty Tax Service "Una Familia Sin Fronteras Foundation" and Salem High
The Liberty Tax Service "Una Familia Sin Fronteras Foundation" has provided an innovative approach to bringing leadership qualities and pride to the Latino students. They have worked collaboratively with the Latino Association for Personal Success (LAPS) to help students to recognize what a truly diverse and understanding student body and community should be. The partnership supports the Hispanic population at Salem High by motivating students to stay in school, by providing real-world input and experiences focusing on fiscal and financial responsibilities students will face in the future and by encouraging them to think about leadership, entrepreneurship, and the importance of planning for their post-secondary education. Students are not only celebrating the Latin American culture and being exposed to relevant issues, but peer support is being provided to ensure that all members of the student body who participate develop academic and workforce readiness skills and receive the resources they need to see them through to graduation. Providing resources, job shadowing opportunities for marketing students affording them authentic work experience to earn industry certification, inspirational speakers from the professional community, as well as informative workshops on small business, career options, tax seminars, and scholarship availability give students the respect, confidence and skills needed to be successful. This partnership is actively engaging students in preparing for their bright futures.
Men of Faith and Virginia Beach City Public Schools
The Men of Faith are truly committed to changing the lives of young African American males throughout the district. For the past four years, this faith-based group has worked with the division's Office of Equity Affairs to develop the DayWatch program. Designed to support students who have received out-of-school suspension, the partnership not only keeps the students on track academically, it helps empower them to make better personal choices resulting in fewer behavioral issues. Full-day sessions DayWatch sessions are offered three area churches where students are given academic assistance by qualified tutors, most of whom are former educators and all of whom are successful businessmen and professional members of the community. These mentors share their expertise and experiences with students to foster a sense of trust and improve communication. Another strong component of the program stresses the importance of volunteerism while providing an opportunity for students to make a tangible contribution to their community. One indicator of the success of the DayWatch program is the fact that relationships developed between the students and their mentors often continue after the school suspension ends. Participants and mentors take part in lunch visits, one-on-one meetings, and conferences with teachers and counselors. The program is currently expanding to provide services to any student, regardless of race or gender, and is available in all middle schools. Our division is truly appreciative of this partnership and the opportunities being offered to young people and their families.
Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic and First Colonial High
This outstanding partnership, initiated in 2004 when the Legal Studies Academy was established at First Colonial High, has afforded students invaluable and unique opportunities to explore potential legal careers within the military. It has also provided students a better understanding of the military and civilian justice systems. Through the years, academy students have interviewed various professionals from the legal field to determine how the researched-based writing skills they are learning in class are applied in the real world. Navy attorneys serve as guest speakers and provide presentations to various clubs. In addition, rising seniors are offered summer internships where they work side-by-side with attorneys, paralegals, and other court personnel. They observe and receive instruction in the areas of wills and estate planning, court reporting, case preparation and court-martial proceedings. The interns observe pretrial hearings, a general court martial, and spend a day with Naval Criminal Investigative Service learning about criminal forensics. Students serve as mock jury members to fine tune voir dire screening skills, type powers of attorney, screen clients for conflicts of interest and sit in on client interviews for civil law matters. In addition, attorneys serve as mentors to students in after school workshops and via email as they complete a 15-page research paper and senior project. In fact, the attorneys often serve as panelists when students present their project defenses. The Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Atlantic is a stellar example of the Navy's core values and commitment to enhancing the education of students.
Naval Special Warfare Group-2, MCD and College Park Elementary
What began as a simple phone call from Seal Team 2 to ask about volunteering has become one of the most exciting student-centered partnerships in the history of College Park Elementary School. Military personnel, dedicating hundreds of hours individually and thousands of hours collectively, have left a lasting impression with countless students at the school. Tutoring second graders, SEAL Team 2 members have helped more than 30 struggling students make significant progress academically and behaviorally. Or, imagine that you are a fifth grader with a military buddy to participate in weekly Fitness Fridays - demonstrating the proper technique for push-ups, sit ups and pacing oneself when running (and yes, they will run that mile right along with you). From attending Math Nights, to assisting with Math and Career Days and joining students at an ODU basketball, SEAL Team 2 embodies the community service. These dedicated men volunteer on their days off and even arranged for another military command to fill in for them when they deployed for eight months this past January. How are they keeping in touch with College Park students while they are away? They are pen pals, of course! For SO MANY reasons, these Navy SEALS are champions!
Senior Resource Center and Creeds Elementary
The partnership between Senior Resource Center and Creeds Elementary is a win-win for all involved. Students are benefitting from the academic support receive in the areas of reading and math while the partnership allows a group of dedicated seniors to stay physically and mentally active. Senior Reading Buddies work with at-risk students providing weekly intervention (almost 4,000 hours at the end of the second quarter this year, in fact) for students in kindergarten through second grade. They also serve as tutors for the after school program, Study Buddies, which meets for an hour each week. First graders take field trips to the Senior Resource Center where they interview seniors about their lives and experiences. Seniors have also "adopted" some of the students and helped to relieve the burden for financially struggling families during various times of the year by providing clothing and shoes, as well as food and other necessities. The seniors are patient and encouraging with the students, creating strong bonds between participants. Whether helping with the Frog Bog garden or sewing costumes or creating props for drama productions, these seniors are "Simply the Best" as far as Creeds is concerned.
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center and Linkhorn Park Elementary
Can you think of a more meaningful way to learn about turtles or the oyster population than to actually conduct your own authentic research in a realistic scientific environment? Fourth and Fifth graders at Linkhorn Park Elementary are doing just that with their partners from the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. During the last several years, students have spent quality time observing various turtles, watching the babies grow, and measuring and analyzing growth patterns. It has allowed the students to make real-world connections to science lessons learned in the classroom. Students have also used the Aquarium's dock to house an oyster float where they collect data on oyster growth and submit their monthly data to the Oyster Reef Keepers. As a culminating activity each year, students have released their oysters on reefs in the Lynnhaven River.
Throughout the school year, science experts have visited classrooms to share how student research has continued to aid their critical work. Several students have been so excited about their work with the Aquarium that they have applied for summer positions as student science docents. Continuing to volunteer to give back to their community during their summer vacation is yet one more piece of evidence highlighting the positive impact this educational partnership is having on the students at Linkhorn Park Elementary.
Virginia Wesleyan College and Bayside Elementary
A unique mentorship program called Marlins Read brings students from Virginia Wesleyan College (VWC) and Bayside Elementary together. The program is the brain-child of an elementary education major at VWC. The mentors – each an enthusiastic and reliable VWC undergraduate student – works to develop a meaningful one on one relationship with their mentees. They provide extra support needed for reading activities such as oral reading practice for fluency and assistance with sight word recognition. The goal is to help these young readers develop the love of reading which is fundamental to all learning. Now in the second year of the mentorship program, teachers and students are seeing increases to reading levels and the self-confidence exhibited by students. In addition to reading activities, the mentors and mentees collaborate to create their own Marlins Read t-shirts and made greeting cards to be delivered to military veterans. There is no doubt that Marlins Read is helping young students succeed.
Wave City Care and Cooke Elementary
It is difficult to list the many ways that Wave City Care has helped students at Cooke Elementary to flourish. These fabulous community partners begin each the school year by helping students find their way to classrooms and answering questions. Several volunteers then get right to work, committing an hour each week as Reading Buddies with first graders. By the end of the school year, students are not only reading on or above grade level, but they LOVE to read! Partners from Wave City Care also facilitate a 12-week Shine Girls Club designed to develop self-esteem and foster personal growth among fifth grade girls. Teachers and parents rave about the positive impact that the program is having and the great potential exhibited by participants. As if that were not enough, it would be difficult to imagine Cooke's annual Math Carnival and Field Day events running as smoothly as they do without the dedication, organizational skills and enthusiasm that this partner organization brings each year. Wave City Care is making a positive difference in the lives of students!