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PIE Mission Statement

The Columbia Public School District's Partners in Education Program provides a vehicle through which our schools and business community can come together. Through a mutual sharing of resources, this partnership strengthens our schools' programs, improves student achievement and enhances our community's economic growth.

PIE Goals

The overall goals of Columbia’s Partners in Education Program is to build bridges between the world of business and the world of education. The program serves a five-fold purpose:

• To foster a better understanding of the public school system within the Columbia Community;
• To strengthen and enhance the district’s programs;
• To create a climate of involvement and interaction between organizations, businesses, and schools;
• To provide students opportunities to develop attitudes and skills that ehance their success in the world of work;
• To improve achievement for all students.

Success is what Partners in Education is all about. The goal is success for every student, every Partner, and for the Columbia community.

What is a Partner In Education?

The Partners In Education (PIE) program officially began in the fall of 1984 with eleven partnerships. Today, the program has more than 130 partnerships. Since its inception, Partners In Education has drawn upon the vitality and enthusiasm of each participant. The program does not look for financial support for schools; rather it enriches educational programs by tapping the human resources available in the community. A school day does not go by without a meaningful Partners In Education activity enriching our district's curriculum.

Partners In Education joins a local business/community organization with an individual school, curriculum department, or grade level. Each partnership is designed to be a long-term commitment. Each partnership identifies a PIE steering committee, consisting of both school and business personnel. The steering committee meets monthly and directs partnership activities. In addition, each partnership establishes a mission statement, objectives, and activities. Partnership activities include but are not limited to:

• Satellite schools located within businesses
• Career fairs
• Job shadowing and business tours
• Classroom presentations
• Performances at businesses
• Banks within schools
• Mock trials
• Staff development for teachers
• Electronic mentoring

The overall goal of Columbia's Partners In Education program is to build bridges between the world of business and the world of education. The program serves a five-fold purpose:

1. To foster a better understanding of the public school system within the Columbia community;
2. To strengthen and enhance the district's programs;
3. To create a climate of involvement and interaction between organizations, businesses, and schools;
4. To provide students opportunities to develop attitudes and skills that enhance their success in the world of work;
5. To work with the Columbia School Improvement Plan (CSIP)

Success is what Partners In Education is all about. The goal is success for every student, every Partner, and the Columbia community.

Click here to see a current list of Partners In Education.
Click here to read about roles and responsibilities.
Click here to see a checklist for a new Partner.

What is a Partnership Friend?

A Partnership Friend is a person(s), community organization, or business that makes a yearly significant contribution i.e. time, services, products, money, etc. to an individual school, department, or classroom.

The program began in 1992 with three Partnership Friends. Today the program includes over 100 Partnership Friends. Examples of Partnership Friend contributions include but are not limited to:

• Newsletter space to highlight students' work
• Helium for annual PIE banquet decorations
• Coupons for student incentive programs
• Meeting space for district personnel
• Books for individuaI classroom libraries

Click here to see a current list of Partnership Friends.

Columbia Public Schools Board of Education Goals

Each partnership strives to meet one or more parts of the district's Board of Education goals:

1. Improve achievement for all students.
2. Eliminate achievement disparities between groups of students.
3. Maximize resource efficiency.