Position Paper

By Matt Monica

Education must be the focal point for our youth. Academic Standards must be required of all students. The most successful schools are those which include direct parental involvement.

Academic Standards must be required of all students. Standards are based on minimum requirements that students must meet or exceed in order to be employable after graduation. Students should not be socially promoted. They must meet these Academic Standards and prove this by passing the exit examination before receiving their high school diploma. Teachers must be directly involved in the decision making process regarding preparation and implementation of Academic Standards.

The most successful schools are those which include direct parental involvement. Learning is a combination of teaching in the classroom and support in the home environment. The best teaching methods must be supported by parent(s). This combination allows for the total learning process to be successful. Parents must be included in discussions regarding curriculum changes as well as being a support entity for school activities in an advisory role.

All segments of the school district must recognize that the focal point is teaching and learning in the classroom. The entire emphasis of personnel and budgetary support should be on behalf of teachers and students. Support components in the district are exactly that, an extension of the classroom. Budget decisions should not be difficult for the school board and administration, as long as they remember that teaching is the priority.

New schools and modernization of existing schools is important. Desert Sands grows at the rate of one school per year. The district must be proactive in purchasing land, cooperating with cities in the district and seeking funding from all available sources. We must all remember that quality teaching is enhanced by a viable learning environment.