Amarillo ISD's Partners in Education program involves businesses, organizations and individuals, with each partnership involving from one, to several hundred, employees or members.
These Partners in Education provide assistance such as student mentoring, professional job shadowing, student incentives for academics, attendance, effort, and use of social skills, sponsorship of major district-wide events, art and cultural opportunities, teacher recognition, parent involvement programs, employee release time, and consultation services.
More than 2,500 community members, including parents, grandparents, and other friends of children and their schools contribute their time and talents as Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) or America's Promise mentors. The volunteers in these two programs are an essential part of the AISD educational team, contributing more than 60,000 hours during the school year.
Additionally, parents contribute hundreds of hours to make schools better through their involvement in PTAs and PTOs, booster clubs and excellence councils. These parent-teacher associations are active in almost every school and they work to strengthen the partnership between home, school and community.
As Schools of Promise under the America's Promise program, all AISD campuses benefit from enhanced community volunteer participation and involvement. With more than 300 businesses and organizations involved in more than 500 partnerships in education, and more than 2,500 community members, grandparents and friends volunteering in our schools, it is clear education is at the forefront of community interest.
The benefits of school-business partnerships are many for businesses and their employees. By being directly involved with the schools, employees gain a sense of the Amarillo community as a whole, as well as an increased understanding of the challenges facing public education.
Business partners also impact the lives of individual students, thereby shaping better-informed consumers. Their efforts assist in transferring skills and knowledge which help students to become effective future employees. Employee morale is always improved by being part of a civic-minded company.
Are you interested in becoming one of AISD's Partners in Education? Following are some opportunities for involvement, or we can customize your partnership to best match your strengths and abilities with our student needs.