Arlington city and school district leaders will hold a rare joint session Wednesday to discuss current collaborations and partnership opportunities between the city and the school district.
Existing partnerships, such as the Libraries in Schools program, fire and water intern programs, and the rejuvenation of the old Girls Inc. building will be discussed.Potential collaborations such as the Canon Print Center, which the city already shares with the University of Texas at Arlington, and shared fleet repair services will also be outlined, along with future opportunities.The Libraries in Schools program is part of the Arlington Public Library's comprehensive outreach initiative to bring its services to the community."The public library has satellite locations in some of our schools, and those students can request materials through the library and they'll be delivered to that campus," said Leslie Johnston, school spokeswoman. "There's also a program where all AISD students can use their student ID as their library card, so they don't have to use a separate card."School administrators will give a progress update on the new Fire Academy, a career training partnership between the district and Tarrant County College that prepares students for a career in firefighting.A similar partnership between the district and Arlington Water Utilities prepares students for a career in city services."After completing the program, students can actually take an exam and get a Class D water license and can be employed in water purification and wastewater management systems," Johnston said.The vacant Girls Inc. building at 600 New York Ave. is an example of a long-term collaboration between the city and the schools.The 9,400-square-foot building was built by the city in 1981 on land from the school district. The nonprofit youth organization Girls Inc. operated a community youth center there until 2009.Now, the city has turned over the land and the building to the school district, which is renovating it for use as a center for dropout prevention, family literacy and career tech programs for at-risk students living in poverty. It is expected to be in service for 575 students in the fall.Shirley Jinkins, 817-390-7657Twitter: @startelegram