All members of our community are invited to a special presentation by Bill Daggett, Ed.D., Founder and Chairman of the International Center for Leadership in Education, scheduled for Thursday, October 25 at 6:00 p.m. in the THS auditorium. For 25 years, Dr. Daggett has crisscrossed our nation, as well as other industrialized countries, to lead school reform efforts so that educational systems will more effectively prepare students for their future.
Dr. Daggett is a strong supporter of public education. He and his wife, Bonnie, also have a special commitment to individuals with disabilities as they have a daughter, Audrey, who has a neurological impairment. Dr. Daggett will challenge your thinking on whether the schools of our past are the schools our children need today. We live in a technological, globally driven world and our children must be provided with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes which will help them to live and work in such an environment. Dr Daggett will describe what schools must do to meet these challenges in order to prepare students for their future, not our past. Mary Bruno, Director of Career, Technical, and Community Education in Volusia County Schools in Florida shared, “Dr. Daggett’s work has been an inspiration to anyone who wants to make the changes needed to move education into the 21st century. He has given concrete direction for why we need to change and helped with the process to lead us in the right direction.”
Dr. Daggett’s presentation is extremely timely given that the Tomah Area School District Board of Education is currently reviewing its strategic plan. We are seeking input from the community through a School Perceptions survey on areas for improvement, how to direct limited resources, and the priorities which should be established for the next five years. In addition, the degree of support to continue a $1.5 million operational referendum is being measured.
Our school district requires our community to focus on the future if we are to continue to provide quality educational experiences for our students which will allow them to be college and career ready. Our community needs to clearly understand how technology and the impact of global competition has changed the skill set our students need for success. There are changes which must occur in what we teach and how we teach it if our students are going to be prepared for their future.
Parents, grandparents, business leaders, community service advocates, and residents of Tomah and surrounding communities- please join us on Thursday, October 25 to hear Dr. Daggett provide ideas on how we can provide the educational opportunities our children need. Maintaining the schools of the past will not serve our children or community well, we must focus on the future.
If you have any questions or comments about the information and opinions expressed in this edition of The School Bell, please contact Cindy Zahrte, District Administrator, at cindyzahrte@tomah.education or 374-7002.