Secondary teachers from across Round Rock ISD and members of the Round Rock Chamber gathered to celebrate the completion of and a record-breaking year for the summer externship program on Aug. 12.

The program allows secondary teachers the opportunity to spend three days shadowing a local business/organization and interviewing the employees to get a first-hand look of the latest trends and expectations in their respective field. From the knowledge they accumulate, teachers will be able to share their findings with students and fellow teachers and incorporate aspects into curriculum.

“Partnerships between local businesses, organizations and school districts are important for education because it exposes our teachers to the most current applications of their content in the business world,” Director of Career and Technical Education Sheri Bonds said. “It allows our teachers to bring that information back into our classrooms and give our students a head start on understanding the real-world expectations they will face.”

A total of 41 staff members from Round Rock ISD participated in the program, which surpassed the previous record of six participants set during the program’s inaugural year.

“As the externship program continues to grow in not only participation but value, we continue to see the importance of establishing partnerships between the business and education community,” said Monica Maher, vice president of community enhancement. “We look forward to seeing this program grow and give more educators the opportunity to participate while providing our community’s students with a strong advantage as they enter the workforce.”

This is the second year the program has been implemented.