February 18, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Breakout Session
Room: Johnson

Session Description

This session will highlight how an employer and a school district are working together to build mutually beneficial partnerships that help retain talent and strengthen local communities. Leave with actionable strategies that can be applied immediately, whether you are an educator, employer, or community leader. Don’t miss the chance to learn from a local employer how industry and education partnerships can create lasting impact in your community.

 Who should attend: K-12 educators, employers, and community leaders

Session Presenters

Russ Sage is the Executive Vice President of Culture and People for Jasper Group. Cultivated since 1876, Jasper Group is the parent company of furniture companies JSI and Klem.

Jasper Group employs 1,000 employees with over 2.3 million square feet of office spaces, lumberyards, and mill rooms in Dubois and Orange counties, Indiana.

Apryl Kidd is the Director of the Collaboration of Shoals, Mitchell, and Orleans Schools.

COSMOS, which stands for the Collaboration of Shoals, Mitchell, and Orleans Community Schools, is a cooperative effort between three rural school districts to provide more opportunities for their students. The initiative aims to offer more classes, programs, and resources to prepare their students for success.

Before the program launched, Apryl worked at Mitchell Community Schools as an elementary school teacher from 2014 to 2018. She began her educational career in 2013 as a special education teacher for the Medora Community School Corporation.

Kim Waldridge is an Industry Sector Specialist with Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI).