Southgate Creates Community Partnerships Benefiting Families and Staff

Community partnerships are so important to public school districts and they often fill in the gaps where families need assistance. This year, Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary Principal Dr. Seth Meier and his team looked for ways to encourage their staff and boost assistance for their families.

Meier and his Assistant Principal Trenda Purcell reached out to Moore-based drinkware company Simple Modern's CEO Mike Beckham to see if there was a partnership opportunity. Instead, they were overwhelmed with Beckham's generosity. Simple Modern donated stainless steel drinkware to the SGE teachers and staff for the first day of school, much to the delight of everyone.  

The Simple Modern website states that they exist to give generously. Also, "As a leading drinkware and consumer goods company, Simple Modern gives at least 10% of annual profits to communities around the world, equally millions in donations since the company’s founding in 2015."

"I was blown away by Mike's generosity and was so happy to uplift my staff at the start of the school year. The Simple Modern team is incredible and we're so blessed to have them as a community partner," said Meier. 

Separately, SGE Parent Teacher Association Pres. Maura Andrews reached out to the Paul Mitchell: The School in Norman. Barber Learning Leader Philis Kellert worked with Andrews to coordinate a group of cosmetology students to be on-site inside the SGE gym for free haircuts for students during Back to School Night. They had 37 students take advantage of the haircut event. 

Andrews said, "I feel great about how the event went. It worked out great and the students who cut hair for our students were nothing short of wonderful. We will definitely try to make it even bigger and better next year."

Find out more about the Paul Mitchell: The School here and learn more about Simple Modern here.