In 1995, the School Board of Directors hired a part-time Coordinator of Community Development Partnerships for the Pennsbury School District. The responsibilities included “ formulating partnerships with business and industry in order to help the district expand its financial, human, and material resources.”
There were approximately 100 informal partnerships already in place at that time. Through the years, that number has grown to include over 1,000 partnerships with businesses, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and non-profit community organizations. A part-time secretary was hired in 1997 to assist the Coordinator.
Members of the community were recruited to serve as Advisors to the Pennsbury Partners Program. They helped formulate ideas about how to solidify the Program. It was decided that a school representative needed to be recruited from each of the Pennsbury schools to serve as a PPP Liaison. Over time, both the Liaisons and Advisors teams expanded to encompass all 14 of the District schools.
Today, the PPP has grown to an “Action Team” concept, which involves a Community/Business Partnership Coordinator and assistant, all members of the Partners Advisory Board, School Liaisons and their PPP teams, as well as members of the Board of School Directors, with input and guidance from the Superintendent and other administrators.