Salem-Keizer Public Schools recognizes a Business Partner of the Month as one of our Spotlight on Success awards at monthly school board meetings. The award is presented by the superintendent and her executive cabinet to recognize outstanding contributions to our school district.
Business Partnerships
The A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village | January 2010
Pictured: Tina Rutland and Stacy HIgby from A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village are congratulated by Salem-Keizer School Board Chairperson Steve Chambers.
The A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village works with all our high schools providing volunteer and training opportunities. Students help with; classroom preparation work, workshops, summer camps, drop-ins, events and even help with cleaning. The Discovery Village works with most of the leadership classes in our high schools to help fulfill community service requirements.
The Discovery Village has been a great supporter of the Employment Training Program for students with disabilities. They have been wonderful in helping student build up their job skills. They have stepped up every time to work with each student to access their individual talents. More importantly, every student who has had the pleasure of working with Tina and Stacy come away from the experience with greater self esteem.
They also collaborated this year with the SKACE coat drive for needy families. In addition to a free coat, the Discovery Village provided free access to the museum to the children.
Thank you for your support to our students.
Bon Appetite Food Service
Pictured from left: Marc Marlich from Bon Appetite Food Service, with Salem-Keizer School Board Chariperson Steve Chambers.
We would like to recognize Marc Marlich from Bon Appetite Food Service.
Marc was instrumental in helping McKinley Elementary with their “Farm to School” dinner in October. Bon Appetite located local sources and prepared the meal (roasted herbed, hormone-free chicken breasts, roasted potatoes, sautéed zucchini, farm fresh salad, and fresh pears and apples) at Willamette University, then transported the food and personnel to McKinley. Marc and his crew worked to educate the McKinley community about local foods, and oversee the serving of the dinner.
At the end of the meal, Marc informed the school that Bon Appetite was donating all of the food! The best part? It got the McKinley community talking about the possibility of becoming a pilot project for the Farm to School program. There has been much support shown for this program and an informational meeting will be held in January to discuss this project further.
Thank you Marc and Bon Appetite for your support of our students and community.
Olive Garden Restaurant | November 2009
Pictured from left: Stephens Principal Neil Anderson, School Board Chairperson Steve Chambers, with Nate Sutton, culinary manager at Olive Garden Restaurant, and Mari Vasquez, Stephens outreach coordinator.
After hearing a brief description of the school community at Stephens Middle School, and learning of the monthly family nights/parent meetings, Jordan Rands, general manager, very generously agreed to cater their family night event, providing spaghetti, breadsticks, and salad. Unexpected, and much appreciated, the Olive Garden Restaurant provided the meal at no cost to the school.
Jordan surprised them when he told them that the Olive Garden would also like to purchase $1000 worth of school supplies for Stephens Middle School. All he asked from the school, in return, was a list of the most-needed-supplies. As you can imagine, the staff at Stephens was amazed and extremely grateful to hear about Olive Garden's compassion, generosity, and enthusiastic willingness to help. Everyone was eager to list supplies they noticed students needed.
Staff at Stephens feels it is extremely encouraging to see that in an era of what seems like ever-increasing budget cuts, and economic strife, there are business partners in the area that will happily support our students, families, teachers, and schools, Exceeding their expectations, Stephens Middle School is extremely thankful!
Thank you for your support of the students in Salem-Keizer Public Schools.
Frito Lay | October 2009
Pictured from left: Dan Hartline receives Business Partner of the Month Award from Steve Chambers, school board chairperson.
Dan Hartline is the Frito Lay business partner contact for Eyre Elementary. According to sources at the school, besides being a very nice person, Dan and the Frito Lay associates collected school supplies in August, which included backpacks and lots of essentials for students at Eyre. Dan brought the supplies to the school in September and distributed them to several students who did not have supplies to start the school year.
Dan and Frito Lay have supplied the school with products for Eyre’s end-of-the-year field day. Previously, they even brought in bags of products for the entire student population at Eyre! The students loved the treats and it sure brought smiles to the students’ faces when they received them.
Thank you Dan and Frito Lay for caring and for supporting our students.
Dr. Richard Synowski | June 2009
Dr. Richard Synowski
Partner: Salem-Keizer Public Schools
Pictured from left: Denny Sanders, Steve Chambers, Salem-Keizer School Board Chairperson and Dr. Richard Synowski.
This month we would like to honor Retired dentist Dr. Richard Synowski as our business/community partner of the month. Joining Dr. Synowski is Denny Sanders from Medical Team International. Denny is the dental van manager and operator.
Dr. Synowski is committed to serving our district's low-income, uninsured students experiencing dental pain. Dr. Synowski has provided necessary fillings and/or extractions to 83 of our district's students. He has volunteered nine full days totaling nearly 50 hours this year on the Medical Team International Dental Van taking care of students at our schools.
Dr. Synowski has volunteered with Medical Team International for over 7 years. He has donated his services in countries around the world, including Israel, China, Mongolia, Poland, México, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize.
Currently, there are ten active MTI Dental Vans in Oregon and Washington. During this school year, MTI's Salem area dental van provided 28 clinics at Salem-Keizer schools, for which local dentists took turns volunteering their services. These clinics have provided necessary fillings and extractions to 278 of our students, totaling over $96,000 in donated services.
If it were not for Dr. Synowski's outstanding dedication, fewer of our district's students free of dental pain that so often interferes with their overall health and their ability to perform in school!
Thank you and Medical Team International for your service to the students of Salem-Keizer Public Schools!
NW Vintage Car and Motorcycle Museum Club and Mentors | May 2009
NW Vintage Car and Motorcycle Museum Club and other mentors
Partner: Roberts High School
Five representatives are pictured above, along with Salem-Keizer School Board Chairperson Steve Chambers. A complete list of the community partners follows below.
We would like to recognize representatives of a large group of community partners with Roberts High School. The men of the club have been wonderful mentors and contributors with skills, products and tools for the build. The car is an incredible project and was fired up for the first time in March and it ran! The students have exhibited it at the Salem Car Show and at the Portland Collectors Show.
Students at Roberts High School built a Model T Speedster from the ground up with the help of these mentors, members of the NW Vintage Car and Motorcycle Museum, and several other mentors, parts contributors and financial sponsors. There was significant underwriting of this project from many donors.
Dean Lohrman is the teacher who has spearheaded this problem-based learning project incorporating math, science, language arts as well as specific auto skills and workplace skills including collaboration, attendance, flexibility, problem solving and others.
Thank you for your ongoing support to the students of Salem-Keizer Public Schools.
| Financial Sponsors | Parts Contributors | Mentors |
| Doug Nelson | Dale & Marie Turnidge | Andy Voytilla |
| The Collectors Foundation | Chris Wolf | Gene Jacobs |
| Larry Epping Trust | Larry Leek | Chris Feskens |
| Frontier Bank | Russ Potter | Mike Schlag |
| Moser Roofing | Doug Nelson | Don Blain |
| Model A Club of America | Don Blain | Bill Zorner |
| Multi-Tech Engineering | Bert Harrison | Ed Weber |
| Portland Triumph Owners Association | Blair Wasson | |
| Bruce Harding | Doug Nelson | |
| William Crane | Ron Hill | |
| Dick Withnell | Ken Logan | |
| Ken Austin | Jack Kinney | |
| Bert Harrison |
Special Recognition:
Enterprise Rent-a-Car (donation of all transportation)
Starbucks Keizer Station | April 2009
Starbucks Keizer Station
School Partners: Hallman Elementary; Whiteaker Middle
Pictured from left: Sarah Frost of Keizer Starbucks accepts award from Steve Chambers, Salem-Keizer School Board Chairperson.
Keizer Station Starbucks has been a business partner to Hallman Elementary and Whiteaker Middle. There were times that one of the schools would call on Sarah unexpectedly, on the day of an event, and she would always be more than happy to help them out with a smile.
They have been very gracious in helping out. Hallman Elementary has been truly appreciative and thankful to have them as a business partner. Whiteaker Middle School states that Keizer Station Starbucks has been great to them.
They have helped both schools by providing coffee, pastries and even gifts at parent meetings, Dr. Seuss's Birthday celebration, staff and professional development meetings, the soccer field dedication at Hallman, and much more.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff.
