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Big Walnut expands business partnerships, BridgeEd work to boost career readiness K–12
Summary
Superintendent reported a new partnership with BridgeEd and a slate of employer engagements — externships, career panels and a Feb. 12 career fair — aimed at giving students work-related exposure from elementary through high school.
Superintendent McClain reported on Feb. 10 that Big Walnut Local Schools has created a partnership with BridgeEd to strengthen ties between K–12 classrooms and local employers and to expand career-preparation opportunities for students.
The partnership has already generated multiple activities: high-school staff externships, career panels and a district career fair planned for Feb. 12. The superintendent said BridgeEd and the Sunbury Chamber of Commerce helped connect companies including Kokosing, OhioHealth, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, Intel and other local firms to district programming.
"This has provided an opportunity for local businesses to come into the schools, and to participate in various activities such as career panels for our students," McClain said. He said the district also is working with regional business-advisory efforts through the ESC of Central Ohio to coordinate larger-scale input.
Student council representative Jack Kello described recent opportunities for students: "I just got to shadow a doctor at Grant Hospital on Friday, which was also a really cool experience too," he said, adding that a variety of medical-field personnel and athletic trainers spoke during a Wexner Medical Center visit.
Board members asked how a local business advisory council would interact with BridgeEd and existing regional advisory structures. The superintendent and staff said BridgeEd is an outside consultant used to facilitate connections and that a local, ongoing business advisory council would be a separate, district-driven vehicle to maintain relationships and offer continuing input. No formal board action was taken to create a new local advisory council; board members said further discussion and public engagement may be warranted.
Program details and participation: the superintendent listed prior events (Oct. 24 career panel, Dec. 2 teacher externships, Dec. 11 career surveys) and companies committed to the Feb. 12 career fair, including Kokosing, OhioHealth, Vaughn Industries, Emergency Plumbing, Columbus State Community College and several local small businesses. Staff said participation is ongoing during weekly "Eagle Time" periods and that data on exact student counts for every engagement is not specified in the meeting record.
Staff encouraged businesses interested in partnering to contact Director of Academic Achievement Mike Robertson as the point person for district-business coordination.
