Partners In Education, Douglas County Are Ready For School Year

The Douglas County School System (DCSS) and Partners in Education (PIE) program are gearing up for the start of the 2019-2020 school year. PIE works with local businesses, faith communities, and various non-profit organizations to provide expertise, time, and resources to enrich the experience for students, DCSS said in a news release.

PIE recently kicked off the 2019-2020 school year with an ice cream social sponsored by GreyStone Power Corporation, DCSS said.

“Community leaders and school leaders work together to determine their level of involvement,” Vonda Thorpe, chair of the PIE board, said in the release. “Each partnership will be different, and that’s part of what makes the program so special. The PIE Board and Chamber of Commerce help connect organizations and schools, and then we leave it to them to plan their partnership for the school year.”

Andrew Dickinson is associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church (FPC) and a member of the PIE Board. At the ice cream social, Dickinson spoke of the partnership FPC has with Eastside Elementary School, DCSS said. The church has provided volunteers and refreshments for field days, sponsored field trips, given hand-knitted caps to students, and sponsored awards events for the school’s intramural sports teams.

“The partnership goes two ways,” Dickinson said, “and it’s very rewarding for both groups.”

To learn more about becoming a partner in education, visit the school system’s home page at www.DCSSGA.org, and look for the PIE tab at the top.