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<\/a>\u201cIn Virginia Beach, our parents and community members are truly partners,\u201d said Superintendent Aaron Spence to invited guests. \u201cTogether, we love and support every child. And, I am grateful for the personal connections, resources and academic supports our generous volunteers and partners in education provide. Our schools are better, stronger places because of them.\u201d<\/p>\nModel Partnerships, selected annually since 2001,\u00a0recognize best practices of meaningful community involvement in the division\u2019s schools. The following 2015 Model Partnerships were selected for the exceptional collaboration between the organizations and the schools\/centers with which they partner to support student achievement:<\/p>\n
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- 11th Transportation Battalion, 119th Transportation Company (ICTC) and Alanton Elementary School<\/li>\n
- Beach Church and W.T. Cooke Elementary School<\/li>\n
- Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Tallwood High School<\/li>\n
- Keystone Education Services and Landstown High School<\/li>\n
- Landstown Middle School PTSA and Landstown Middle School<\/li>\n
- New Jerusalem Ministries and Rosemont Elementary School<\/li>\n
- Pungo Strawberry Festival Board and Advanced Technology Center<\/li>\n
- Simon Family Jewish Community Center, BEAR Program and Bayside Tri-Campus<\/li>\n
- VBCPS Office of Facilities, Planning and Construction and Kemps Landing\/Old Donation School<\/li>\n
- Virginia Air and Space Center and Woodstock Elementary School<\/li>\n
- Virginia Beach Fire Department, Station 5 and Technical and Career Education Center<\/li>\n
- Virginia Beach SPCA and Providence Elementary School<\/li>\n
- Virginia Wesleyan College Marlins Read and Shelton Park Elementary School<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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<\/a>TCE Director Dr. Pat Konopnicki, VB Fire Department District Chief Daryl Funaiock and Tech Center Director David Swanger celebrate their 2015 Model Partnership.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n In addition to these outstanding school-community partnerships, 86 Volunteers of the Year were honored at the event. This year\u2019s award-winning volunteers included parents, grandparents, high school students, soldiers, citizens and former educators who have donated their time to assist with academics, athletics, activities and the arts.<\/p>\n
From among this prestigious group of volunteers, three were selected as 2015 Citywide Volunteers of the Year by the Virginia Beach Council of PTAs (VBPTA). At the division\u2019s April 30 community celebration, VBPTA President Kelly Kinnear presented the citywide honor to the following volunteers:<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Denise Hoffman, Christopher Farms Elementary School<\/strong><\/p>\nIn addition to serving on various committees, chairing the teacher appreciation committee and implementing the WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) program at Christopher Farms Elementary School,\u00a0Denise Hoffman also leads the school\u2019s Beach Bags program. Thanks to her efforts to collect donations from area businesses and personally pack weekly Beach Bags, nearly 30 students at the school are provided food to take home for the weekend. \u201cAs with most great Samaritans, very few people know the \u2018true angel\u2019 behind this project. Denise slips in to do her good deed each week and wants no public recognition for what she does,\u201d said Principal Teri Breaux.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nKim Wells, Princess Anne Middle School<\/strong><\/p>\n
Kim Wells can be seen almost anywhere at Princess Anne Middle School (PAMS) on any given day\u00a0helping teachers, dropping off donations, making photocopies, stocking the food pantry, organizing volunteers, working at school events or running the concession stand to support athletic and academic events.\u00a0Her dedication to and caring attitude for PAMS students and staff shows in everything she does. \u201cMrs. Wells knows our schedules are extremely busy and can be stressful,\u201d said sixth-grade teacher James Arnett. \u201cShe makes a sincere effort 100 percent of the time to take things off our plates to free our time to work with students. We could never repay her for all the time and commitment that she has given to all of us at the school.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Tracey Parr, First Colonial High School<\/strong><\/p>\nWhether Tracey Parr is serving in the role of PTSA secretary, Volunteers in Education coordinator or GradFest co-chair, her commitment to First Colonial High School the past eight years has been second to none. When she is not busy at her fulltime job or assisting the school\u2019s athletic teams and clubs,\u00a0she is working to ensure that fundraising activities are a huge success. \u201cShe is one of the most dedicated and involved parents I\u2019ve had the pleasure to work with,\u201d shared Assistant Principal Dr. David Judge. \u201cHer enthusiasm and professionalism have made a powerful impact at our school.\u201d<\/p>\n
More information about each one of the 2015 Model Partnerships and 2015 Volunteers of the Year will be featured on the Partners in Education<\/a> and Volunteers in Education<\/a> pages on vbschools.com<\/em>.<\/p>\n