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Becoming a Partner
Partners | Partner Roles and Responsibilities | Becoming a Partner | Sustaining Your Partnership | Current Partners and Accomplishments | SC3 Partner Survey
Consider the following steps in preparation for partnering with a school, school district, and/or EPA in an SC3 program.
Approach your management to determine whether school chemical management is an area they are willing to volunteer staff time, money, and/or resources.
Be prepared to discuss the following:
- The ways your organization can benefit as a partner;
- The benefits to the school, district, and community;
- The ways your organization can help; and
- The level of investment your organization can make.
With management's approval, you will want to determine the types and level of support they are willing to provide:
- Will you want to assist on a single project with a defined start and end date (e.g., an inventory or training)?
- Will you want to provide ongoing sustainable support to a school (e.g., annual training for teachers and other staff)?
- Will you provide services in the event of an emergency or natural disaster?
Contact EPA (if applicable) for help getting started on an SC3 project.
If your organization does not have an existing relationship with a school or school district that may benefit from a chemical management project, contact the EPA SC3 Account Manager responsible for your region to help identify a school or school district in need of help. Either your EPA SC3 Account Manager or regional SC3 lead can provide guidance with the following:
- Identifying schools which may need assistance;
- Brainstorming ways your organization can assist a school; and
- Forming teams to make the project a success.
If you decide to become an EPA partner, you will be asked to sign an SC3 Partnership Agreement. This agreement indicates your organization is committed to promoting responsible chemical management in K-12 schools and does not impose specific requirements upon your organization. Once signed, EPA will help you arrange an SC3 project that matches your organization's unique resources and expertise.
Develop a relationship with your SC3 project school or school district.
When you begin to work with a school or school district on an SC3 project, it is important to gauge how familiar the school is with developing and implementing a chemical management plan. Be prepared to provide the school with some background on the topic and how your organization can help meet their needs. Tie your services to tangible benefits, such as:
- Saving money on purchasing and disposing of chemicals;
- Reducing the use of dangerous chemicals in schools;
- Reducing liability and loss of public confidence; and
- Making the school safer for students and staff.
Your organization and the school or school district may find it helpful to prepare a partnership agreement, a team charter, or some other document that outlines the roles, responsibilities, and limitations involved in the project. A sample partnership agreement is available here. Whatever form the document may take, it should address the specific tasks your organization and the school and/or district intend to perform, as well as a proposed schedule for agreed upon activities. Maintain an open dialogue with your partnering school and adjust formal agreements, as necessary. For more detailed information on becoming a partner and working with a school, check out, "Why Become Involved in School Chemical Management?," an appendix to the SC3 Workbook (PDF) (173 pp, 1.5MB, about PDF) developed exclusively for partners.