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VFW Awards
The recent meeting of the school board for the regional high schools began with a presentation of awards by the VFW for the local essay contest winners. Created in 1947, the Voice of Democracy (VOD) scholarship program is an audio-essay contest for high school students in grades 9-12 that annually provides more than $3 million in scholarships. The local VFW provided nominal awards between 150 and 75 dollars to winners in each of the high schools, and first place winners move up to regional and then national levels.
The topic of this years contest was “Does America Still Have Heroes?”. It is a question rarely asked, but of great relevance on a variety of levels. With ongoing wars, economic instability, and politics as usual in a country facing extraordinary challenges, the question of heroes is important. As the VFW representative at the board meeting explained, heroes are people who step up to the plate when facing extraordinary situations; and, it is usually the quiet individual who steps forward. The value of the contest was echoed by teachers from the high schools who recounted the sincere interest and concern students have with America’s military personnel, and the various efforts they have made to support the troops both emotionally and materially.
State Initiatives
The RIH interim superintendent reported on some ongoing state initiatives that may impact the FLOW region in the future. Studies being conducted now, and presumably available by 2010, will most likely advise the merger of the k-8 districts into one large district. He believes the studies, and the already present pressure to share services, will lead the state to encourage further consolidation as a way of controlling costs. He emphasized that this would require a vote by the districts, but that it is an items that should be on the radar of all the districts in the area. Curriculum development has begun in this direction with a holistic k-12 approach, but the impetus for this was more effectiveness in preparing students for high school rather than cost cutting issues.
School administrators who had attended a seminar on re-designing NJ’s high schools reported to the board on an initiative to better prepare students for college and work. The concept of autonomous learning was discussed, and the importance of students learning the skills required to manage their time and responsibilities in real world situations. Although the local high schools achieve high marks on providing academic instruction, there is a feeling that more can be done to prepare students for the challenges they will face outside the sheltered walls of a local high school.
The concept can be summed up in the old adage, ““Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish ; and you have fed him for a lifetime”. The initiative of fostering autonomous learning tendencies in students will hopefully support their development as lifelong learners. Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press pales in comparison to the revolution in communication and availability of information brought on by the Internet, and preparing students to exploit the benefits by developing lifelong learning skills is more important than in previous generations.
Outside of academia, the initiative also calls for greater emphasis on practical skills required for success in life after high school. Basic life skills of time and money management, as well as the skills required to interact in a mature and professional manner while in the work force will also be addressed. Either in a trade or in college, the schools will be looking to better prepare students with a skill set that goes beyond the measurements of standardized testing. It is a difficult task for both colleges and high schools a like as they seek to move beyond gold stars, good grades, and teacher commendations and instill validation through personal responsibility and reward.
Turf Fields
Also discussed at the meeting were plans to pursue the renovation of the turf fields. The board has received very competitive bids for the project, and hope to have it completed in a timely fashion. It was noted that the original turf fields experienced a dramatic increase in use by the communities at large, and investing in this infrastructure serves many residents outside the high school community.
Shop & Robotics
While students at Indian Hills got their shop and tech labs back when the code safety issues were addressed over the break, students at Ramapo are still waiting. It is hoped that the facilities will soon be made available to students. The labs were closed in the fall in anticipation of state inspections, and the students have been without the resources need to complete projects for their course of study.
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