Published: March 17, 2008 08:56 pm         

State schools chief to talk at chamber luncheon

Greenbrier County Schools and the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce will host a “Power Hour” luncheon April 2 with state schools superintendent Dr. Steve Paine as the keynote speaker.

Paine will speak about the state’s “Partnership for 21st Century Skills,” a 2005 initiative which joins businesses with classroom instruction. The partnership has 35 members, including Adobe Systems, Apple, Cisco Systems, Ford Motor Co. and Microsoft among others.

“Preparing our students for success in the 21st century global economy is one of our greatest challenges and certainly our highest priority in Greenbrier County and in school districts across the state of West Virginia,” Greenbrier County Superintendent John Curry said in a news release.

“The vital role that our business community plays in the life of our schools and the work they do to engage our students in the types of learning skills and activities necessary for success cannot be overstated. The leadership provided by Dr. Paine and the West Virginia Department of Education through the Partnership for 21st Century Skills initiative has made a very real difference in the way we teach and the tools we use to engage our students in learning.”

The luncheon will be held at the State Fair of West Virginia Event Center from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Chamber members and school-business partners are asked to confirm their attendance by this Thursday.

“When surveyed about business concerns, the availability of an educated workforce is at the top of the list for most businesses,” said Katie Ickes, executive director of the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce. “We hope to showcase what our businesses our doing ... to contribute to the educational process and to produce future business leaders ...”

The luncheon is sponsored by First National Bank and Greenbrier Medical Arts Pharmacy. For more information, call 645-2818 or 647-6485.