Industry & Community

Ways to get involved

Local STEAM professionals, community groups, and community members can be actively involved in our school in a variety of capacities that include:

  • Member on our Industry Advisory Board
  • Curriculum Development
  • Assessment of Student Work
  • Industry Panelist
  • Project Consultant
  • Unit Design and Work-Based Learning
  • Student Supports

Fill out our Volunteer Applications

School Volunteer Application

https://goo.gl/forms/LnBfYwljeSIVE7Bd2

District Volunteer Application

https://richlandvolunteers.hrmplus.net/


Leona Libby Middle School Industry Advisory Board

Vision:

Ensure student success through bringing industry and educational professionals together to ensure that STEAM programs implemented in the school are aligned with needs in the workforce.


This vision will help address questions like:

  • How can student learning be supported by members of the Industry Advisory Board?
  • What connections can be made from committee members that broaden possibilities and opportunities for students and teachers?
  • How can Advisory Board members be involved in student project feedback and as panelists for student presentations?
  • What can members of the Advisory Board do to help teachers cultivate meaningful future projects?


Responsibilities of district to committee:

Appoint Committee Members – Select members from the community who can contribute technical assistance, based on their industry, to the school through their position on the Advisory Board.

Provide Information – Provide accurate and concise information so Advisory Board members can make informed suggestions and decisions in meetings, on tasks, and in projects.

Provide Guidance and Support – The Advisory Board committee’s success depends on how each member understands their role. New members should be informed of their responsibilities and tasks.

Expect Results – Committee members should be informed that they are a valuable and integral part of the program. The committee meetings should be well organized and solicit the input of all members with the expectation of program improvement.

Inform and Recognize Members – Ongoing communication and education from the district should be provided to committee members as they oversee a variety of programs throughout the school, especially as new members are invited. The best types of rewards or recognition are those that can stimulate productivity, improve committee interaction and increase member satisfaction.

Lead and Run Meetings- A selection of teachers from Libby will chair, lead, report on, and run the Industry Advisory Board meetings


Membership

The committee should be gender balanced with representation from special populations.

Members should come from the following groups:

  • One or more current educators at Libby Middle School who will serve as committee Chair and Secretary
  • Representatives of local business and STEAM related industry, including both labor and management citizens within the geographical area served by the school- this is the focus of the committee
  • Parents of students
  • Current and former students
  • A representative of the administration- Although the administrative representative need not be present at all meetings, the educators should attend all meetings to provide information and participate in discussion.

In the future, membership may also include:

  • Representation from other district middle schools
  • Representation for elementary/high schools in district
  • College and career representation


Expectations from Committee

The committee shall:

  • Advise on current and projected workforce needs that are most relevant to the local economy.
  • Suggest course content and program development.
  • Build support from the business community for the school system and specific programs.
  • Make recommendations on equipment, instructional materials, and specifications for training opportunities.
  • Promote programs in the community through public relations, publicity and support.
  • Keep communication lines open between the occupational areas and the instructors.
  • Meet at least once an academic quarter with greater frequency as needed.

The committee will serve to fulfill district CTE requirements as well. As such, the following expectations have been added:

  • Review and sign off on the relevant three year plans.
  • Review and sign off on any new frameworks for course content
  • Assist in placement of students in cooperative education programs.
  • Make suggestions on work-based experiences / field trips to enhance objectives.

Long-term, we want the committee to help take a leadership role in helping set industry/ STEAM direction for the school/district. As such, eventual expectations will include:

  • Facilitate equipment donations or loans from businesses and community members.
  • Identify businesspeople who can serve as mentors or role models for students.
  • Support student organization activities at the local, regional, state, and national levels.
  • Help locate qualified guest industry instructors and future educator candidates as requested by the district.
  • Help keep current educators updated, such as through job shadowing or part-time employment


Terms of Office

Each advisory committee within the Advisory Board should establish its own criteria and guidelines for member recruitment, selection, appointment, and replacement. Committee membership should be reviewed and updated yearly to ensure broad-based representation of the industry and to ensure that the work of the committee continues.


Meeting Procedures

Each Advisory Board meeting will include the following:

  • An agenda created and distributed by the committee Chair one week prior to each meeting which will include review of previous meeting minutes, new business, action items, and old business.
  • The committee Chair will be responsible for facilitating all parts of the meeting. If the Chair is unable to lead a meeting, then the meeting will be facilitated by the committee Secretary.
  • Detailed minutes will be taken each meeting by the committee Secretary. If the Secretary is unable to take minutes then they will be taken by another committee member.
  • Minutes will be distributed electronically after each meeting in a shared online folder with the entire Advisory Board.
  • After each meeting, the Secretary is responsible for reporting results to Libby Middle School administration.


New Members

Interested applicants should contact the Partnership Outreach Team. After which, an informal face-to-face meeting or phone conversation discussing the potential member’s contribution and role on the advisory committee. New members will be added by a vote or consensus of the current membership.


Focus

The committee’s success will depend to a large extent on how well members understand their roles at the first meeting they attend. New and continuing advisory committee members should be regularly provided with information relative to the committee’s purpose, function, structure, and goals as expressed in the committee’s work plan.