Getting to know their community partners better and foster a stronger relationship was the purpose of a trio of Community Partner Breakfasts recently hosted by Hastings Prince Edward District School Board Director of Education Katherine MacIver.
Three breakfasts were held with community organizations supporting families and students in Belleville, Picton and Bancroft.
“I think the networks were happening with our schools but from an organizational standpoint and as far as moving our strategic plan forward, these breakfasts are an attempt to make sure that we’re sharing our priorities, that we’re working through goals together and just having conversations. Purposeful conversations.”
Since these were the first events, MacIver says the board did a lot of the talking, sharing its five-year strategic plan and current priorities like supporting students in literacy and math and grade nine destreaming.
She says they’re also stressing the importance of daily attendance.
“So it was interesting how that conversation is, we had a couple of partners who said, you know, we can help with that. You know, through our work we can help amplify that message and emphasize that importance. So, I think that’s the value of coming together and having these discussions.”
The meetings were held in different areas so they could reach all areas the board serves.
MacIver acknowledges that services tend to be concentrated more in urban areas.
“I think that’s always on our mind and some of this networking is important to make sure that we fill those gaps that might be there. Or bringing some of those gaps to the attention of ourselves as a school board and then work collaboratively with partners to try and fill those.”
She hopes to hold the Community Partner Breakfast series twice a year.
