Inviting Your Community to School

Every school has a neighborhood community. How you engage with that community can lead to major success stories or missed opportunities. Here are three ideas on how to welcome your local businesses and possible business partners to your school:

Host an open house. Business leaders are as busy as school principals. Getting them into your building can be tricky. That’s why hosting an open house and sending virtual or hard copy invitations welcomes the owner to your school and introduces the expectation that you want to be a good neighbor. Have the open house during school hours so the businesses can see your teachers in action and meet students achieving academic excellence.?Show them why your school is phenomenal.

Maybe the owner will offer to donate an item or an internship for your students. Maybe they have long-standing ties to your school that you were not aware. No matter what happens DON’T ASK FOR ANYTHING on this first visit. It’s the “getting to know you” event not “we need these things and you have them.”

If an open house is too much work right now, then you or a representative from the school personally can visit each business with a “we’re your neighbor” card. Have the students create cards for local businesses reminding them you are back in school and want to be a “good neighbor.” Suggest supplying artwork for the business, or carolers at holiday time or sharing a conference room if they need to meet off-site. Whatever you have to offer will be appreciated and reciprocated. You start the conversation and endless opportunities can follow.

Add the business to all of your school communications. If you don’t have a contact name and email address for a business, call and ask for that. The business will enjoy getting the school news and may attend an event because you opened the dialogue with them by sending them school updates. You probably put requests for resources in these communications, so the business is now aware and may contribute because it’s not a financial donation, but one of time or resources. Once establishing a partnership with a business, they would also like to see recognition if they do something for the school. Since the business already gets your school newsletters, you can recognize them with gratitude and share how they have helped your school throughout the year. Maybe the business has a school tip to share and would contribute an article or want to sponsor an advertisement on your website, start with this small step and it can lead to bigger possibilities.

Being a good neighbor starts with you. Set an example and good things will happen. Good luck!