Education Council
Fairfax County Public Schools
Partner of the Year Award, 2006
Mission: The Council's purpose is to collaborate and develop meaningful programs that support educational and career-related experiences for students in the member schools. These Programs and experiences are designed to help students in the member schools. These programs and experiences are designed to help students make a connection between school and real world and prepare to meet the challenges of the workforces of the 21st century
Vision: By the end of each school year the Educational Council will have developed and provided a series of relevant programs and experiences that support its mission to prepare students from member schools to meet the challenges of life after high school.
The Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce Education Council is composed of business leaders, Chamber staff and school educators.
School Partners
Centerville High school, Chantilly Academy, Chantilly High School, Herndon High School, Oakton High School, Westfield High School, and Mountain View High School.
The Partnership
The DRCC Educational Council is a unique entity that represents the input of educators and business people across western Fairfax and eastern Loudoun Counties. It allows the educators to compare notes on current issues and programs and changes on the horizon it also allows businesses and academia to better understand each other and to reach decisions that collectively embrace future decisions for their efforts. On the education side, the Council includes career and transition specialists and vice-principals. On the business side are represented financial institutions, entrepreneurs and business of all kinds.
In the middle is the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce, host for these meetings and engaged participant. The Chamber takes its commitments to workforce issues very seriously and regards tomorrow's workers as a significant part of the workforce issues very seriously and regards tomorrow's workers as a significant part of the workforce mosaic. It is a catalyst to engage 50 volunteers to assist in presenting Ethics Day; or to enlist the knowledge base of banks and credit unions to teach children about managing money and making budgets.
Finally, it takes on the role of liaison to help match business and students at our annual job fair.
Beyond these programs, the Chamber maintains a dialogue with the school system itself, sharing with curriculum specialists the subject matter needs as perceived by the business community, including basic economics and the workings of state and local government and the issues these governments face. The Chamber has made itself available to Fairfax County Public Schools to provide thoughtful commentary by top-notch speakers through podcasts on topics such as transportation and immigration
Projects and Programs: Ethics day, Reality Store (financial literacy programs), Student Job Fair, Business & technology Scholarships, and Podcasts on Contemporary Issues.
Council Members: Kirk Forman (Element H2O), Co-Chair; Sharon DeBragga (Mountain View Alternatice High School), Co-Chair; K.C. Packard (EmbroidMe); Dave Jagels (Westfield High); Julia Bently (Westfield High); Linda Boyke (Herndon High); Beth Berger; Alice Robertson (Chantilly Academy); Susan Guarino (Mountain View High); Lisa Lombardozzi; Jim Hannon (Herndon High); Marian Kendrick (Oakton High); Regina Mauren (Herndon High); Cathy Strittmayer; Diane Villars; Claire Leftwich (Centerville High); Jin Hannon (Herndon High); Harry Hagar (Commerce Bank); Esther Perantoni (Nothern Virginia Community College); Linda Rogus (Northwest Federal Credit Union); Curtis Symonds (Hoop Magic).
Meeting Schedule: 1st Wednesday of the month from 8:30 to 9:30. at the Chamber's Chantilly office at 3901 Centerview Drive, Suite R.
Contact Information: For more information, Please contact Kirk.Forman@elementh2o.com
