Relationships are more important than transactions. Circle the Schools program organizers intend to move beyond drive-by volunteerism, in which a company parachutes into a school for a few hours of benevolence and photo ops, and then disappears. Instead, participating companies will make a one-year commitment to the school they adopt. The companies will listen to what the schools need, and then provide it for them in part by volunteering at a minimum of three events over the year.

Mayor Ed Lee and San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Richard Carranza announced today that they will join leaders from the Citizens Initiative for Technology and Innovation to announce plans to pair a technology company with each of the city’s 116 public schools by the end of the school year.

“The one-offs really don’t work,” San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Richard Carranza said of previous efforts by volunteers. “You get to check the box that says ‘We’ve done our volunteer hours for the year.’ You’re there for one event — that may be very valuable — but then you’re gone. The whole different approach here is that our volunteers are developing relationships with kids.”

The Circle the Schools shows the importance of local leaders uniting around issues that impact the interests of the larger community. Education and Jobs are at the top of the list in most communities.

Read the full article at SFGate

Special thanks to Clint Johns for sharing this good news!