Best Practices, Volume IV

Foundations of Success

Table of contents

Here is an “inside look” at just two of the many activities held in the schools as a foundation of School Business Partnerships.

The School Business Partnership Class (SBPC) The School Business Partnership Class (SBPC) started as an elective at Central Middle School of Science in the fall of 1993, under the direction of teacher Sharon Sellens and principal Keith Taton. SBPC was a grass-roots program utilizing Central’s five business partners in service projects with the class. How To Start A School Business Partnership Handbook was co-authored by Brenda Fenton and Sharon Sellens in 1995. Presentations about SBPC have been given locally and nationally. In 1997, more SBPCs were established at other middle schools in the Anchorage School District. The ongoing success of SBPC is due directly to the innovation of the SBPC teachers. During the 2001-2002 school year, over 250 students, along with their teacher-facilitators, have made a positive difference in their middle schools and communities with the assistance of over 50 supportive, caring business partners. The quality project-based learning is successful because of opportunities to work alongside business partners. The areas of focus for the 2001-2002 school year were service learning, entrepreneurship, mentorships and internships.

Service learning Central Middle School, Tam Agosti- Gisler, teacher Mears Middle School, Kathy Vik, teacher Wendler Middle School, PosTa, Gary Stein and Dennis Arashiro, teachers Whaley School, Community Leadership, Clarinda Vandegrift, teacher Dimond High School, After School SBPC, Kathy Vik, teacher Entrepreneurship Gruening Middle School, Colt Cafe, Lori Miller, teacher Mirror Lake Middle School, Sleepy Coyote Cafe, John Gaskins, teachers Mirror Lake Middle School, video News Team and Radio Station, Emily Blahous, teacher Entrepreneurship and Service Learning Romig Middle School, Kerry Howard, teacher Group Mentorship/Student Internships Central Middle School, group mentorship with KeyBank and Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau, fall 2001, Tam Agosti-Gisler, teacher Central Middle School, student internship with Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau, spring 2002, Tam Agosti- Gisler, teacher. Dimond High School SBPC, student internships with Anchorage Marriott Downtown Hotel, spring 2002, Kathy Vik, teacher Alaska Content Standards apply in School Business Partnership Class The Alaska Content Standards can be cross-referenced with the SBPC skills list and handbook, How To Start A School Business Partnership Class. Subject areas of Language Arts, Math, Science, Geography, Government, History, Skills for a Healthy Life and Arts & Technology are covered. For more information about the SBPC, contact Sharon Sellens, 742-4407.

NEXT: SBP Stastitics

Please note: The information on this page is from the 2002 edition of Best Practices. The people, programs and contact information included were current at the time of publication, but may have since changed.