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Cody schools keep pace with new technology
By Amber Peabody
This document was published online on Monday, January 28, 2008
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| Cody real estate agent Sandi Shearer (from left), CHS teacher Dean Olenik, school board member Vernel Gail and CHS principal David Treick work on long-term planning goals during a meeting last week. (Photo by Ken Blackbird) |
While technology changes at a rapid pace, the Cody School District is working to make sure students don't fall behind.
About 60 people gathered last week to discuss issues facing schools and make recommendations for a long-range plan.
“It's really overwhelming to think about,” student representative Michelle Felts said. “We're trying to decide what kids will need in 5-10 years. But it's cool to see what's going to happen.”
The purpose of the meeting was to have a community dialog focused on education in the 21st century, to identify issues, and recommend future directions and ideas to the Cody School Board.
“We're engaged in a conversation about student education needs for the world of work and education they will be entering when they leave high school,” Superintendent Bryan Monteith said.
For two days teachers, administrators, board members, retail business owners, medical professionals, ministers, government officials and non-profit employees met for a meeting facilitated by Rhonda Shipp.
“It's enlightening to get a depth of perspective from people in our community,” teacher Karen Skoric said. “As a teacher you're preparing students for jobs that don't exist so you have to think outside the box to teach children in an ever-changing world.”
Prior to the meeting participants were given a sizable packet of information to read. The group reviewed the book “The World is Flat” by Thomas Friedman.
Friedman describes the unplanned cascade of technological and social shifts that have effectively leveled the economic world. They also reviewed the reports “Sixteen Trends” and “Tough Choices, Tough Times.”
“They're examples of future education challenges in relation to competition in educational performance of other countries,” Monteith said. “It all has to do with educational challenges and keeping American children at the highest level of performance.
“Specifically, it's the basic core curriculum including math, science, English and social studies.”
Countries need to educate children for future work, future educational needs and social adeptness, according to “Sixteen Trends.” It also states that schools and school leaders must embrace change as a driving force to continuously improve and change to help students succeed.
“I hope to see some problems solved or at least a direction we can go to get there,” Skoric said. “This is the scaffolding students need to be successful.”
After recommendations are made they will be examined and developed into action plans the board can undertake with the resources available, Monteith said.
“We want a clear and achievable objective for the Cody school system to help mold and educate kids in the future,” said Bob Pickering of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. “We want them to be successful and happy.”
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