The Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a unique bond between the business and education communities in support of public schools.

The Chamber's Business/Education Partnership Committee was formed in January. It brought together 32 professionals from the business and education communities who shared the conviction that education has a direct impact on employment and productivity of the workforce.

The committee is chaired by AT&T's Public Relations Manager, April Treece. She says the committee will work to develop a partnership in support of education and to enhance education's view of private industry.

According to Treece, "the business community has a legitimate stake in the quality of the school system. Tomorrow's workforce is in today's classroom. Partnerships that we can create between the two sectors will only mean added resources for the public schools."

With this in mind, the Business/Education Partnership Project will focus on four major areas for 1986: teacher awareness; business volunteers in the classroom; recognition of student and teacher achievement; and facilitation of student employability and employment.

These major areas are being developed by four subcommittees chaired respectively by Tom Athenour, Bank of Pleasanton; Jerri Long, Amador /Pleasanton Public Schools; Mary Jane Dukellis, Dukellis Realty; and as co-chairs, Anna Faria, AT&T, and Don Seaver, Amador/Pleasanton Public Schools.

School Superintendent, Bill James, is enthusiastic about the project. "An effort like this cannot be taken lightly. If we are going to compete in a global economy, and if public schools are to survive as we know them, then those who benefit from an excellent education system and those who provide it must recognize and formalize their mutual dependent relationship."

Treece concludes, "The growing link between business and education makes everyone more willing to share responsibility, create new ideas, and solve problems without pointing fingers. We become mutually responsive to each other."

Chamber members who are interested in becoming involved in the project should contact the chamber office, 846-5858.

To see a reproduction of the original article and edition of Pleasanton Pathways, visit: June 23, 1986 Pathways.