Connecting Theme, Students, and Community Advising and Consulting Partnerships
An advisory board can help a school leverage the knowledge that resides in the community, including parents, small business owners, church leaders, and community-based organization leaders. Advisory board members offer their professional experiences and knowledge, plus their professional contacts for potential new partnerships.
School Example A magnet school with an industrial design theme has regular meetings with an advisory board made up of community members from small businesses, manufacturing and engineering companies, and a marketing firm. These relationships have provided support for the school leaders, content knowledge for teachers, and internships for students.
LEADERSHIP TIP
As a general practice, invite community members to offer suggestions and feedback on the magnet program. Ask people in the community to share what they value in a quality public school and have them suggest ways that they can contribute to this goal.
School Example After a natural disaster destroyed an observation tower in one community, students from a design theme magnet high school partnered with a local architecture firm to design a replacement tower. In this way, the school was able to give back to the community that supported it.
LEADERSHIP TIP
When forming partnerships, consider how both parties—magnet school and organization/individual—can benefit from the relationship.
