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Partners important in classrooms [UPDATED]
Published 9:39am Wednesday, March 28, 2012 Updated 11:40am Wednesday, March 28, 2012Recently, Gov. Mark Dayton again asked businesses throughout Minnesota to take an active role in educating the state’s youth by adopting a school.
He stated, “Improving education is critical to getting Minnesota working again both now and in the future.
“Working to improve our system of education must be a shared responsibility that falls not just on our schools, but on partners in our communities as well.
“I am asking businesses across the state to partner with a local school and develop relationships with their teachers and administrators to find out what they need to be more effective for our children.”
The Fergus Falls School District is thankful for our Adopt-a-Class program, managed by Mike Walls, an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow.
Mike has done an outstanding job of continuing the connection between our classrooms and businesses.
Mike informed me that all 45 elementary classrooms are matched with a business, including elementary special education; and six classes have met with senior citizens.
A new sponsor this year has been the Boy Scouts (Jim Stratton), who has sponsored two classes.
Earlier in the school year, Mike sent out a letter recruiting partners. In the letter he stated we are always looking for new partners, along with continued support from our current partners.
Community-school connections are a priority for the Fergus Falls School District — and Adopt-a-Class is one of the favorite connections for our elementary and middle school students.
As in the past, business/classroom partnerships are created with kindergarten through grade 6 classrooms. The $100 contribution from each participating business is spent to benefit the children in its adopted classroom.
When teachers and businesses work together with Adopt-a-Class, they create even more interesting and innovative connections between kids and our business community. New partnerships with local businesses are always encouraged and welcomed.
The School District and teachers would like to thank the following Adopt-a-Class partners for their support: State Bank and Trust, Kaddatz Gallery, Wild Rose Floral, Lake Region Healthcare, Thrifty White Drug, Communicating for Agriculture Foundation, Edward Jones, McDonalds, Fergus Falls Noon Kiwanis Club, Wells Fargo Bank, The Flower Mill, Dairyland Drive-in, Gate City Bank, Applebees Neighborhood Bar and Grill, Taco John’s, El Tequilas, Invision/Dr. Tara Kempfer, Great Plains Natural Gas Company, Dr. James Swenson, Invision/Dr. Tom Smith, Harmony Studios, Otter Tail Coaches, Sara Lee Bakery, Kenny’s Candy Company, Friends of the Fergus Falls Public Library, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Stumbeanos, West Central Initiative, Mill Street Residence, OTC Humane Society, M-R Sign Company, West Tool and Design, Service Food, Invision/Dr. Denise Hanson, Fergus Falls Senior Center, Pizza Ranch, Bremer Bank, Nature’s Garden World, Meadow Farm Foods, Riverview Heights, Debbie’s Kitchen, Lakes Radio, The Daily Journal, and Ringdahl Ambulance.
The Adopt-a-Class program does much to involve students with the community — and the more that we can connect, the better our community will be. Thanks for your support.
