Mon Schools to Hold Partnerships in Education Symposium: Set for Friday Morning

By The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

Jul. 29–Public school administrators, educators and community members will meet this Friday to finalize goals of the Monongalia County Schools’ Partnerships in Education program for the 2008-’09 school year.

The 11th annual Partnerships in Education Symposium is scheduled from 8-11:45 a.m. at WVU’s Erickson Alumni Center and organizer Judy Pratt anticipates a strong turnout.

“Every school in the county has at least one business partner, and RSVPs indicate that many of them plan to attend,” said Pratt, MCS business and industry coordinator, who stages the event with assistance from the MCS Partnerships Advisory Board.

“The school-specific partners discussed their plans for 2008-2009 informally before the end of the last school year. But the symposium allows them dedicated time to focus on formalizing those plans into defined goals and objectives.”

The symposium’s agenda, based on the event’s “Character Counts” theme, features presenters whose unique perspectives on character education may help the partners hone their individual partnership goals.

Phil Pfister, recipient of “the World’s Strongest Man” title in several international competitions and currently an employee of Chesapeake Energy, will serve as the symposium’s master of ceremonies.

The Rev. Matthew J. Watts, president/CEO of the Charleston-based Hope Community Development Corp., will deliver the keynote address, which will highlight the strength of educational, governmental, community and family alliances in reinforcing positive character values, attitudes and behaviors in children.

Also addressing symposium participants will be Deborah Hartshorn, West Virginia director of Roads to Success, a not-for-profit entity whose goal is to “empower young adults to make education and career choices that match their individual skills and interests.”

Monongalia Schools Superintendent Frank Devono will recognize Morgantown Mayor Ron Justice, recipient of the national Afterschool Alliance’s 2008 “Breakfast of Champions” award, for his efforts to expand after-school and childcare options citywide.

“We’re also showcasing Kelsey’s Corner, a partnership project between Brookhaven Elementary and its partners Monongalia Health System, Suburban Lanes, West Virginia Public Theatre, McDonald’s and BB&T Sabraton,” Pratt noted.

With the help of their school’s business partners, Brookhaven students created “Kelsey’s Corner,” a cozy refuge stocked with books and toys for young patients receiving treatment in Mon General’s pediatric department. The project was named for a former Brookhaven student, the late Kelsey Moore. Kelsey’s mother, Julie Moore, will speak during the symposium.

The concept behind Kelsey’s Corner was developed in an informal meeting among the Brookhaven partners, school staff and Brookhaven principal Joe Newcome — one of four quarterly get-togethers Newcome conducts with his partners every school year.

“The Kelsey’s Corner project is a prime example of how regular contact between schools and their partners can cause creative ideas to flow,” Pratt said. “When we collaborate and talk to each other, wonderful things happen.”

Also during the symposium, eight Monongalia County schools’ partnerships will be recognized as recipients of the annual Gold Star Awards, underwritten by a $3,000 grant from the 4-H Camp Road Wal-Mart. Five business/school partnerships will receive $400 awards as “exemplary partnerships” and five additional partnerships will each be awarded $200 prizes.

School Partnership Advisory Board members who helped organize this year’s symposium are: Angela Anderson, Greater Morgantown Community Trust; Ken Busz, Greater Morgantown Chamber of Commerce: Tracy Cottrell, Easton Elementary School; Gary Derk, MedExpress; Toni Devericks, NIOSH; Frank Devono, Monongalia County Schools; Labeth Hall, PR Plus Events; Ashley Hardesty, Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff & Love PLLC; Holly Henry, FBI/Clarksburg: Carrie Lacy, North Elementary School; Ralph Miller, The Education Alliance; Joe Newcome, Brookhaven Elementary School; Charlotte Rose, First Exchange Bank; and Rebecca Talerico, NIOSH.

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Copyright (c) 2008, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.

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