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Community Partnerships

Our business/community partnerships are an essential part of offering opportunities for our students to continue their learning in an industry of their choosing. 

We work with a variety of industries in St. Louis County to help our students gain the real life experience they need to be successful.

Extended Learning Opportunities

ELOs are designed and driven by a learner’s authentic interest, allowing them to pursue their interests and career aspirations in a variety of non-traditional ways. Extended Learning Opportunities are

  • Highly flexible and individualized to the learner’s needs and goals 

  • Developed in partnership with school and community members to meet specific competencies

  • Agreed upon goals and competencies are rigorous and frame the ELO experience with 

  • A minimum of 60 hours of engagement

  • A project and presentation will be the culmination of the ELO experience

  • Credit can be awarded if the learner has fulfilled all requirements of the ELO

Students can also pursue their interests and career aspirations through other opportunities:

Job Shadow

  • Learners observe experienced professionals at a worksite or approved location (including virtual) for a limited and agreed-upon period.  At the end of this experience, learners should witness a typical day for a professional in their desired career field. 

Internship

  • Learners perform authentic job tasks at a worksite or approved location (including virtual) under the guidance of a qualified supervisor. Internship opportunities are defined by the following: 

  • Academic credit and/or compensation at the discretion of the school and community partner

  • A minimum of 120 hours of engagement

  • Performance evaluated by the work manager in addition to the educator (Kauffman Foundation, 2023).

What types of experiences could serve as extended learning opportunities (ELOs)?

  • Designing a website for a local business

  • Taking part in program like Boeing Pre-Employment or Daugherty AccessPoint

  • Engaging in a career-specific project at a place of business like a pharmacy, doctor's office, accounting firm, veterinarian's office, construction company,  or within a department in the school district

  • Completing a research project through a local university like Washington University

  • Supporting green initiatives through greenhouse work with a local business

  • Leading a project for a local nonprofit agency

  • Developing a new app to solve a problem for a group or business

  • Taking part in an entrepreneurial experience

  • Diving deeply and researching a complex topic like discreet math with a professor

  • Working on a specialty certificate through an outside program like Ranken Technical College

  • Providing computer hardware repair services for a local municipality

  • Working on a marketing campaign with industry leaders

Join Us as a Community Partner in Learning

Join us as we chart an exciting path for our community and beyond. Please submit this information and someone will contact you.

Jon Fitzgerald
Assistant Principal, Pattonville High School
jfitzgerald@psdr3.org

Odetta Smith
Director of Innovation, Pattonville School District
osmith@psdr3.org