Common Sense for our Schools

By Georgia S. Jack

We know what works for students and schools

I attribute this incredible outpouring of support to one fact: I offer common-sense leadership for our schools. After all these years of education reform and test-mania, to our stressed out students, parents, and teachers, I say: Let's do the things that we know work.

We know what those things are:

Our schools must prepare EVERY student for college or a skilled job that pays a living wage.

We need to provide for the high achievers, the kids in the middle, and the students at risk, ALL of them, with equal attention and care.

We must offer each student a chance to shine in the arts, athletics, robotics, or whatever it is that inspires them to explore, learn, and dream.

We need to collaborate with local middle schools to make sure requirements and expectations are aligned, so students start off confident and ready for their freshman year.

We need to be responsive and accountable to parents, tax payers, and our district communities so that we have full transparency, and all perspectives are heard and balanced.

We have to engage in teacher training that is teacher-driven and teacher-led + tapping into their expertise as a community of inspired learners.

And on the topic of teachers we need to address the teacher shortage BEFORE it becomes a crisis, and find solutions for finding and keeping teachers in our overheated real estate market.

Let's renew the promise of a high quality education for every child and use our commonsense to provide outstanding schools that mirror our community's needs, hopes, and dreams!