New River Community and Technical College and Greenbrier County Schools are embarking on an innovative partnership to increase educational opportunities for students, improve services, and increase efficiencies for both institutions.
Plans are in motion for New River CTC to accommodate relocation of the Greenbrier County Board of Education’s administrative offices and select training/educational programs to the college’s Greenbrier Valley Campus in Lewisburg. The partnership also facilitates New River CTC’s access to technical training spaces owned by Greenbrier County Schools, thus increasing New River CTC’s ability to expand course offerings in high-demand skills areas. In sharing a portion of operational/facility costs associated with administrative offices, training spaces, and specialized equipment, the organizations will realize cost savings while at the same time improving services to the region.
Additionally, the two educational entities are exploring new ways to partner to develop educational opportunities and facilitate successful transitions from K-12 to higher education and employment. Critical to this effort is a shared goal of equipping students with the knowledge, skills, experience, and credentials that are required for success in today’s workforce.
“Sharing educational and administrative spaces will enhance opportunities for our organizations to collaborate in a number of ways to benefit learners of all ages in our community,” states Superintendent Jeff Bryant. “One of the most exciting aspects of this effort is the opportunity it presents to help us meet the training needs of businesses right here in our community,” he continued.
“New River CTC is excited about the opportunities that this partnership creates and establishes,” states President Dr. Bonny Copenhaver. “With today’s limited educational resources, this partnership will allow both organizations to increase educational services and access to technical programs that will benefit the students and the community. We will become stronger as organizations only when we collaborate,” concluded Copenhaver.
Greenbrier County Schools and New River CTC currently collaborate to provide dual enrollment opportunities to high school students. The dual enrollment program will also be fortified through this enhanced alliance.
New River CTC serves nine counties in southeastern West Virginia from the Greenbrier Valley Campus (Lewisburg), Mercer County Campus (Princeton), Nicholas County Campus (Summersville) and Raleigh County Campus (Beaver).
The New River CTC Board of Governors and Greenbrier County Board of Education have approved the education collaborative for the Greenbrier Valley Campus. Joint planning for instructional programming, co-location of administrative offices, and shared operational initiatives is underway.