DCPSS Primer: An explanation of our mission, our mantra, our invitation to you
It’s an ambitious goal, but we believe it’s doable.
Douglas County Partners for Student Success is made up of community members who believe second-best isn’t good enough for our children, teens and young adults.
Our partners came together to change the way we all work as a community to achieve better results for each child in Douglas County. Simply put, we believe every young person, from cradle to career, should be able to plan for and achieve a bright future. But it doesn’t happen by accident.
Student success starts with our partner’s shared goals that each child:
• Is healthy and ready for kindergarten
• Has support in and out of school to be successful
• Leaves high school ready for a post-secondary education and/or career
• Completes a post-secondary degree, career credential or other training
A tall order? Yes. Does that look the same for every student? Absolutely not. There are many paths a student can choose to prepare for life beyond high school: career and technical classes; trade schools; community college; military service; apprenticeships; industry-approved certificates; college or university degrees.
Our partners understand that navigating the requirements for post-high school education and various career fields can be confusing, especially if you aren’t familiar with all the options. Challenges also exist to navigate the financial and other responsibilities that go along with further education.
DCPSS seeks to help parents and youth plug into resources and information sources that can help each student map and reach a personally rewarding future.
Education Matters: 
Your Choice, Your Future, Act Now. That’s the rallying cry we’ve chosen as we work to ensure that our students leave high school prepared for a career. Our students play an important role in this. It’s up to them to find a passion and take charge to be successful. And to realize that what they learn today will affect their tomorrows. Once they’re inspired, it’s easy to take the next step to explore careers at school or through important adults in their lives.
Those adults have their parts to play as well. Think about what you can do to be a guide and/or mentor to the student in your home, neighborhood, church or civic group. What skills or experience can you share? How can you set an example that will help our kids reach their goals?
We came together because we believe that a collective, countywide effort can accomplish so much more than scattered, individual attempts at systematic change. Join us in improving our entire community by putting our young citizens on the path to success.
What do you want to know more about? Here are some of the categories our work falls under:
- Career Exploration
- Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub
- Opportunities (for Educators, youth, parents, volunteer/mentors, and businesses)
- Collective Impact and Social Marketing Campaign (Education Matters: Your Choice, Your Future, Act Now!)
- Youth Development
- DCPSS Perspectives/ Discussions (editorial opinions from partners)
And we’re always adding more information, tips and events, so be sure to sign up for updates from this website (HERE at the bottom of the Home page under “Be Informed.”)
You may also want to sign up for our monthly newsletter, Partners’ Post. Sign up HERE be added to that listserv.
If you are involved in an organization or agency that has events for children and young adults, be sure to add your event to our community calendar.
Learn more about our Partners HERE. See who are partners are HERE and get insight HERE into why different organizations and individuals are throwing their hat into the ring with DCPSS and its mission. Want to become a partner? Email Executive Director Gwen Soderberg-Chase, dcpssnews@gmail.com, if you want to be more actively involved in our steering committee or other levels of involvement.
