Best Practices, Volume VIII, 2006

Several years ago, as a new principal, I was excited to get a call one day from SAM’S Club at Penland Parkway. It was a gal named Patty St. John, a manager there who was interested in organizing a coat drive for our needy students. Little did I know that this brief phone call would develop into a multiple-year school business partnership and, more importantly, a friendship that has spanned eight years, two schools, and three towns.

The coat drive in 1998 was a fantastic success. This was followed by a knit-a-thon where SAM’S club employees knit hats, mittens, and scarves for our little ones. Our school began monthly movie nights and family dance nights, which brought Patty St. John, her daughter, and other SAM’s Club employees to our school armed with a popcorn machine, water, and snacks, and a strong desire to help fund raise. They would sell popcorn and other goodies and would give all the proceeds from the event to our PTA. That year SAM’s also began a Student of the Month program for us, which proved extremely popular with our staff and students. One day a SAM’s Club employee who also worked for us as a noon duty, spotted a house fire across the street from the school. He was on the playground supervising students and quickly climbed over the fence and alerted the elderly gentleman who lived there that his house was on fire. The man had been napping and had no idea. SAM’S Club selected our noon duty as A Home Town Hero, filmed him for a commercial, gave him a plaque, and flew him to Florida to receive the award. What a wonderful role model for all of our students who watched this scene unfold. Because of this strong partnership, the school and SAM’s Club won a Star Award from the School Business Partnership committee.

Over the years when I have participated in various charity fund raisers, Patty (and SAM’s Club) are there donating and serving food, and each year when I walk to raise awareness for cancer, Patty (and SAM’s Club) are there too. While our school benefits from SAM’s Club at social events, bake sales, class parties, field days, fundraisers, and book sales the community benefits from their selfless giving as well.

At least once a month, Patty and I get together for lunch and we always make sure that we spend the yearly Executive Exchange Day together. Three years ago when I became the principal of Chugiak Elementary, Patty was literally by my side helping set up our back-to-school picnic and a few weeks later setting up at our Open House. That first spring, one of our teachers, Lucy Thisius, was nominated at Patty’s SAM’s Club for the Wal Mart Teacher Of The Year Award which garnered our school $1,000. Then that fall in a surprise ceremony, Patty St. John and other Wal Mart executives came to our school to present us with a check for $10,000 and named Lucy the State of Alaska Wal Mart Teacher of the Year!

While I feel fortunate for our strong school business partnership between Chugiak Elementary and SAM’s Club, I am most fortunate to have found a dear friend who sets a sterling example that we all need to do our part to be involved, caring stewards for our community.

Anchorage School Business Partnerships was named a 2005-06 winner of the National School and Busines Partnerships Award