Post by title1parent on Aug 25, 2010 17:25:42 GMT -5
www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=403078&src=
Back-to-school byword: cooperation
Daily Herald Editorial 8/25/2010
The yellow buses trolling the neighborhoods, the sounds of the marching band at practice, the store shelves bereft of colored markers and Kleenex - all are unmistakable signs of the beginning of a new school year with its mix of anxiety and excitement for suburban youngsters and teens.
This year, the hope and promise symbolized by all those unblemished new notebooks and unused No. 2 pencils comes with a dash of reality. Nearly every suburban school district has cut back in one form or another, and many students face bigger classes, reduced course offerings, fewer options for extra help or enrichment, and less counseling or other guidance.
At the same time, public debates over school spending and teacher and administrator pay and pensions have grown ever more rancorous as money grows tighter.
These are, of course, all important issues and they need to be addressed at many levels. But as we deal with them, it's important we keep the rhetoric respectful. Schools are unlikely to be flush with money anytime soon, unfortunately, with state finances careening downhill at an ever faster pace and local property values stagnant at best. For the sake of our kids and communities, it's imperative that educators, taxpayers and parents be on the same team to manage the fallout of these financial woes. We don't all have to agree on how to solve these issues; we do need to agree on working toward the goal of well-educated kids who have the skills and knowledge to take on the challenges their generation will face as adults.
More than ever, teachers and parents must join forces this year to make sure some kids don't get overlooked or slip through the cracks as school staff is spread thinner. Parents, it's up to you to know where your children stand. Check their planners, review their homework, keep in touch with teachers, offer to help in the classroom or with extracurricular programs.
If your knowledge of schools is based solely on your own experiences as a student decades ago, acknowledge that things have changed. Mandated programs, increased academic pressure and the intrusion of modern-day social issues make school a different place than it was back then. Try volunteering at a local school for a few hours a week or attending some board of education meetings. It'll give you an up-to-date perspective and contribute to a thoughtful discussion of the issues.
The beginning of the new academic year is challenging for many students. We issue a challenge for adults, as well: Resolve to keep your own focus on the same things we want from our kids - an open-minded, fair and respectful consideration of the problems before us and the potential solutions.
Back-to-school byword: cooperation
Daily Herald Editorial 8/25/2010
The yellow buses trolling the neighborhoods, the sounds of the marching band at practice, the store shelves bereft of colored markers and Kleenex - all are unmistakable signs of the beginning of a new school year with its mix of anxiety and excitement for suburban youngsters and teens.
This year, the hope and promise symbolized by all those unblemished new notebooks and unused No. 2 pencils comes with a dash of reality. Nearly every suburban school district has cut back in one form or another, and many students face bigger classes, reduced course offerings, fewer options for extra help or enrichment, and less counseling or other guidance.
At the same time, public debates over school spending and teacher and administrator pay and pensions have grown ever more rancorous as money grows tighter.
These are, of course, all important issues and they need to be addressed at many levels. But as we deal with them, it's important we keep the rhetoric respectful. Schools are unlikely to be flush with money anytime soon, unfortunately, with state finances careening downhill at an ever faster pace and local property values stagnant at best. For the sake of our kids and communities, it's imperative that educators, taxpayers and parents be on the same team to manage the fallout of these financial woes. We don't all have to agree on how to solve these issues; we do need to agree on working toward the goal of well-educated kids who have the skills and knowledge to take on the challenges their generation will face as adults.
More than ever, teachers and parents must join forces this year to make sure some kids don't get overlooked or slip through the cracks as school staff is spread thinner. Parents, it's up to you to know where your children stand. Check their planners, review their homework, keep in touch with teachers, offer to help in the classroom or with extracurricular programs.
If your knowledge of schools is based solely on your own experiences as a student decades ago, acknowledge that things have changed. Mandated programs, increased academic pressure and the intrusion of modern-day social issues make school a different place than it was back then. Try volunteering at a local school for a few hours a week or attending some board of education meetings. It'll give you an up-to-date perspective and contribute to a thoughtful discussion of the issues.
The beginning of the new academic year is challenging for many students. We issue a challenge for adults, as well: Resolve to keep your own focus on the same things we want from our kids - an open-minded, fair and respectful consideration of the problems before us and the potential solutions.