Celebrating the Chamber of Commerce’s newest BEST partnership between Santa Fe Cattle Company and Park View Elementary School are (from left) Jodie Grannan, principal, Park View Elementary School; Shane Walden, general manager, Santa Fe Cattle Company; and Sherry Crye, coordinator of BEST program, Chamber of Commerce.
Santa Fe Cattle Company, located in Bradley Square Mall, says their formula to being the best in the business is simple: They serve great-tasting, high-quality food in a fun atmosphere at a decent price. Likewise, Park View Elementary School, 300 Minnis Road, believes they serve students with a clear purpose and direction in a positive and safe atmosphere where all children feel welcomed.
Santa Fe became a Chamber member in July 2013 shortly after the restaurant opened in the mall; Park View opened in fall 2012 and became a Chamber member in September 2016.
“Since both are still fairly new to the community, their new BEST partnership will give them a chance to grow together and to become better acquainted with the community,” Sherry Crye, director of workforce development for the Chamber of Commerce and coordinator of the BEST partnership program, said.
BEST, an acronym for Business & Education Serving Together, is a program of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce that connects a business and a selected school to enhance the quality of life for our community and provide business support for our educational programs.
Santa Fe Cattle Company’s corporate philosophy complements that of the BEST partnership program. They value local communities and are committed to supporting the activities that are important to their guests. The restaurant currently employs more than 2,000 employees in over 20 locations in the Southeast and Oklahoma.
“Several of the Chamber’s newer businesses are reaching out to schools in our community,” Crye noted. “They are demonstrating what it means to be good corporate citizens through this workforce development program and are helping to ensure we have a prepared workforce.”
Park View Principal Jodie Grannan expressed enthusiasm for the new partnership.
“We are excited to partner with Santa Fe Cattle Company,” she said. “They have already provided our faculty with a meal during teacher in-service at the beginning of the year. Incentive coupons from Santa Fe have been provided to our students that receive the character trait of the month. Park View Elementary is looking forward to this community partnership.”
The principal continued, “We believe that each child can learn and reach his or her potential through a rigorous and relevant standards-based curriculum. Our 90 percent reading goal is critical to meet and will take the community partnering with us to reach this goal. We believe in fostering lifelong learners who can respond to the changing needs of global communities.”
The BEST partnership program is 25 years old now and was instituted as a workforce development initiative to help local schools do what they do not have the staff or funding to accomplish on their own, according to Crye.
“While BEST partnerships are not all about giving money to the schools,” she said, “financial support is often beneficial. But the schools often need gifts of time and skills.”
Most schools in the Bradley County and Cleveland City School Systems have one or more local business partners as part of the BEST program. Private schools that are Chamber members may also participate in the program.
For information about getting involved in the BEST partnership program, call Crye at 423-472-6587.