It's a very practical program. Dr. William Schewe. Although the district knows many businesses and groups already have partnerships with local schools, it is working with the Villa Park Chamber of Commerce to build more of these partnerships. The district is searching for volunteers from businesses to teach students about a variety of careers, to facilitate field trips, and to tutor or direct programs, Schewe said. The Villa Park Public Library currently works with elementary schools to encourage young students to read.
Librarians visit schools to conduct book talks and to promote the library's summer reading program.
The program keeps students in preschool to eighth-grade reading by monitoring how much they read and rewarding prizes to those who meet program requirements, Ball said. The library is working on a new project, called the First Step Program, which will introduce students and parents to new computer software. For the past 17 years, the Lombard Fire Department has been working with Lombard public and parochial schools to educate students on fire prevention and fire safety, said retired Lombard Fire Lt. Firefighters visit schools once a week to teach students about fire prevention and safety in the home. District 45 would like to establish more partnerships in the fall for the upcoming school year.