The “Official” School
Business Partnership
Handbook states, “The partnership program
offers opportunities for students, teachers, businesses
and community agencies to build partnerships
that will enhance students experiences, provide
more knowledgeable future employees and
consumers, and promote a businesses community
image”.
From the school perspective, there are few
programs that work equally well for all schools,
regardless of grade, geographic location, and
socio-economic environment. From the business
perspective, there are few legitimate programs
where any business can find a niche in the education
system. The Anchorage School District
School Business Partnership Program does both
very effectively.
Jewel Lake
Tastee Freez joined the SBP
Program in 1995 in an effort to work more closely
with Sand Lake Elementary. Over the next 4
years Gladys Wood, Chinook, Kincaid, Mears,
and finally Dimond High School were added to
the list.
Since most of our employees are from Dimond
High, and most of our customers live in a three mile
radius of the restaurant, we decided that the partnerships
were a cost effective and fair way to contribute
back to the community.
The more we worked with the schools and got to
know the students, teachers and parents, the easier it
was to have a measurable Return On Investment
(ROI).
Our most frequent partnership activities include:
speaking to classes, site tours (and ice cream testing)
at Tastee Freez, car washes, “Teacher Takeover
Days”, judging spelling bees, mentorship and job
shadow programs, awards programs, neighborhood
cleanup, and help with the Garden at Four Corners
Adopt A Park.
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Other Benefits to Schools and Tastee
Freez include:
- Connects the school to the world outside the classroom
- Reinforces what is taught and gives meaning as to why (Curriculum)
- Authentic learning and instruction
- Students understand the role of work and the skills required
- Provides access to positive adult role models
- Helps establish employability and healthy
life skills
- Helps keep Tastee Freez in tune with our customer’s needs
and desires
In this day and age when school violence and other social problems
have caused us to lock up
our schools, it is much more difficult for businesses to freely
communicate and feel welcome in the
educational environment.
The ASD Partnership program is a positive way to incorporate a
business of one employee, or a
thousand, into our schools. No business is too small, and by the
fact that it exists, it must have a significant
purpose.
Businesses must be willing to share that purpose with their future
customers and employees.
Just like Jewel Lake Tastee Freez, the Anchorage businesses that
have formed partnerships with our
local schools have done so as an investment in the future. That
investment will result in more loyal
customers, with better trained and educated employees.
The only way you can loose with School Business Partnerships,
is to not be involved. With
School Business Partnerships, we’re marking the course and
headed in the right direction for our
future. Thank you for participating in this strong community program. |
