Business council reports 2,300 school partnerships to Loudoun County School Board

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) has more than 2,300 active partnership connections with businesses across the division, the chair of the School Business Partnership Executive Council told the Loudoun County School Board on Aug. 11 in an informational update. No motion or vote was taken on the item. ^{0:11:46 0:16:33}

Sean Mitchell, a presenter, said he owns a mechanical company and will serve as this year’s council chair after a year as vice chair. He described the council as a bridge between the school division and the business community, with members serving as mentors, advisers on curriculum and career pathways, and participants in committees and roundtables. He said council partners had resolved a $25,000 hospital bill for a student without health insurance who was injured at school, and arranged for a wheelchair to be sent to the student’s middle school so the student could return. ^{0:13:14 0:15:25 0:16:33}

Renée Dawson (Director of Family and Community Engagement) outlined four areas of partnership impact: career-aligned industry representation, student experiences and engagement, community investment and student support, and strategic partnerships. She said 689 juniors and seniors took part in Job for a Day this year with 77 community career hosts across 15 career clusters, and that the School Business Partnership Awards recognition drew more than 800 students, educators, business leaders and community partners. She also described a First Responders event serving 250 first responders. ^{0:23:14 0:24:30 0:26:00}

Ross Svenson (Board member, Broad Run District; chair of the Legislative and Policy Committee) asked whether specific industries or career clusters were being targeted as membership expands. Mitchell said the council filled available seats this year with rural agricultural and data center representation, expanded skilled trades, and reinforced higher education participation. Dawson said the council reassesses gaps as members rotate off, and cited aviation as an area to consider. ^{0:28:54 0:29:59}

Amy Riccardi (Board member, Sterling District) asked what steps would be taken to communicate opportunities to families, saying families in her district often tell her they did not know about programs. Dawson described posting Job for a Day as an event in Schoology with a student interest survey, an effort to bring school job fairs under Career, Technical and Adult Education with a universal calendar, and reliance on LCPS staff members on the council to share information with their departments and schools. ^{0:31:13 0:32:26 0:33:44}

Sumera Rashid (Board member, Little River District) asked about the recruitment method for new council members. Mitchell said the council identifies industries it wants represented, invites people in those fields to apply, and uses an application stating expectations including meeting attendance and participation in Job for a Day and the awards breakfast. Dawson said the commitment language was new this year. ^{0:35:03 0:36:21}

April Chandler (Chair; Board member, Algonkian District) thanked the presenters, noting she serves on the council as chair, and closed the item after no further questions. ^{0:27:59 0:37:03}