PENCIL Cracks The Code For School Success Through Business Partnerships

NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PENCIL, the New York based nonprofit that pioneered the idea of improving student achievement by developing and supporting long-term partnerships between businesses and public schools, is again setting the standard for meaningful business engagement in public education.  At its annual Principal For A Day celebration, PENCIL shared results showing the transformative impact of its model.

"We know that business investment and participation in education are critical to school success," said Michael Haberman, president of PENCIL. "But being able to point to what is working and the types of engagement having real impact – that is invaluable."

Public-private partnerships are increasingly recognized as a critical means of driving public education reform and catalyzing innovations in public schools. The PENCIL Partnership Program currently addresses a wide array of school and student needs, and is an integral part of nearly 400 New York City public schools, affecting over 215,000 students, with affiliate programs in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Rochester, and—next month—Chicago.

"I am thrilled to now be able to point my colleagues in the business world to what is working," said Dave Barger, President and CEO of JetBlue Airways and chair of PENCIL's Board of Directors. "PENCIL's results enable us to move beyond conversations about why business must play a role in supporting education to the vital discussions about how best to do so."

Each year, as part of the Principal For A Day celebration, PENCIL encourages principals to host their Business Partners at their schools. Today, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan visited PS/IS 111 Adolph S. Ochs School to learn how Principal Irma Medina has worked with her Partners from VOCES, the Latino Heritage Network of The New York Times Company, to increase and improve family engagement at the school. Through their efforts:

• Family attendance at PTA meetings more than doubled, from an average of 8-10 parents per meeting before the Partnership, to an average of nearly 20 parents per meeting in 2011-12. 
• Attendance at Open School night increased by 27 % to 400 families.

"These Partnerships are targeted, they're effective, and they're driven by a single goal: to help our children get the education they deserve," said Secretary Duncan in a taped video message to the luncheon-gathering of Pencil Partners on Thursday afternoon. "That's a model we can all be proud of, and that's a goal we should all commit to."

A Principal For A Day celebration luncheon, sponsored by Macy's, Aramark, and Scholastic in PENCIL Partner JP Morgan Chase's downtown offices, also was held today to honor this year's participants in the PENCIL Partnership Program.

For more information about PENCIL, visit its website at www.PENCIL.org or call 646-638-0565.

SOURCE PENCIL