Catoosa County Schools Partnership Program is the Business-In-Education program of Catoosa County. Partnership began in 1988 and is sponsored by the Catoosa County Board of Education. The school system and the community had a genuine desire to lower the county’s dropout rate. The partnership program was created in response to this need and has grown with each school year. During the 1988-89 school year, approximately 20 partners were recruited from our community. These partners provided time and money to improve the education of our young people through educational incentives and teacher appreciation. As the program grew, the Renaissance program, a motivational education program, was implemented in the middle and high schools in the early 1990’s. Today, that program is working in all 17 of our schools. In 1992, a mentoring initiative began. Although only 11 mentors were active that first year, we now have approximately 90 positive, adult and teen role models working with students who have been targeted as at-risk for future behavior problems and dropout. This program also recognizes students who excel academically and behaviorally. We sponsor an annual Leadership Academy system-wide. Students are asked to apply for a position in the academy and are selected by a school committee. Partnership also serves our school system by providing volunteers to work in the classrooms, read to students, help with school projects, provide professional insight and hands on examples, and much more. In our 30th year, Partnership now consists of over 200 partners.
Through collaborative efforts with our local business, community, and school sectors, as well as our county’s Communities In Schools program and The Family Collaborative, our goal is to continue our growth in all areas to allow us to meet all the needs of our students. Although this goal may seem impossible, it is our belief that the desire must be real and the effort must be made. We recognize the many needs of young people today and work hard to work cooperatively to enhance the overall education of those young people.
Legend
1. Small Business Partner-Fewer than 5 Employees
2. Medium Business Partner-5-24 Employees
3. Large Business Partner-25 + Employees
4. Civic/Church Partner