The work of the Innovate 2.0 Committee continued Thursday, Feb. 9 as more than 70 members of the Broadalbin-Perth community came together to help inform the district’s next strategic plan. During the committee’s second meeting, members focused on describing the knowledge, skills, and attributes a B-P graduate should have — as well as what experiences B-P students should have to get them to that end state.
Superintendent of Schools Stephen Tomlinson opened the meeting with a presentation in the Margaret Robin Blowers Auditorium to provide committee members with relevant background information and food for thought for their discussions. (Read a recap of the presentation.) Committee members then discussed their ideas in small groups using a technique known as mind mapping. (View the final mind maps and read the notes from each table.)
The meeting centered around essential questions that the district’s leadership team has also considered in their work to develop a Portrait of a B-P Graduate and a Portrait of a B-P Student: “What experiences will students need during their 14 years at B-P to develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes we want graduates to have? What knowledge, skills, and attributes should a B-P graduate have?” In his introduction, Tomlinson emphasized that decisions made in response to questions like these will drive programming decisions, which ultimately drive financial decisions.
The Innovate 2.0 Committee is made up of volunteers from throughout the school community, including students, parents, faculty, staff, and non-parent community members. The work of the committee will inform Broadalbin-Perth’s next five-year strategic plan. The district’s original strategic plan, “Innovate,” was published in 2016.
The next meeting of the Innovate 2.0 Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, March 14.
What attributes should a B-P grad have?
At the start of this process, the community was encouraged to provide input about the primary topics discussed in the general meetings. As I am unable to attend the meetings, my thoughts are provided below.
Foremost is the problem of depression and psychological issues infecting our children. These issues carry over into adulthood. Seems that some core values are purposefully challenged by education systems not designed to accept family beliefs.
Positive foundational beliefs are expressed through religion. Since 1963 our educational systems have been stripped of the ability to allow our religious community to contribute to the education of our children. It only takes a short look at the nightly news to see the negative effects of discounting religion in society.
It’s time to permit our students to be taught about the historical context of the people and documents that form the foundation of our democracy. Religion played a significant role in the formation of the United States. It’s time to explore the importance of religion in our society.
History should be taught in the context of the time in history. We cannot apply the concepts of modern culture to a 200-year-old society. For example, in the 1800’s the age of consent was about 10-12 years old. This is certainly not encouraged in 2023 and is not taught (or accepted) in our society. The context has changed.
That also applies to those who led our great nation into the democracy we celebrate. Slavery was viewed very differently during the infancy of our nation. Some leaders owned slaves, but that did not affect them from laying their lives on the line for the greater good of the nation. Historical narrative should concentrate on the character of “the whole person”, not one aspect of life as lived in the 1700’s.
Our students should have some knowledge of the role of technology in society and how to react when technology fails or is disrupted by unforeseen events. For example, in 1978 the east coast lost power. One story told of a group of people riding in a New York City subway that “went dark” when the power was lost. Basically, the occupants stayed in the subway, even sharing a bottle of wine. They had no idea of what was happening on the surface, for all they knew Armageddon had started. They left when the power was restored, glad no one starved as a result.
Without basic knowledge of modern technology and how it has evolved over time, leaves students without the tools to continue life without modern advances. Heaven forbid society loses the ability to use smart phones, computers, potable water from the government or wide-spread electricity.
Introduction of diverse technical processes not only allows the ability to “fill the vacuum” of the loss of services, but will also encourage students to “think outside of the box” and create improved methods of delivery. We need only to look at the methods used to create, perform and listen to music to see the evolution of the system used. We started with wire recorders, moved into reel-to-reel tape, to 8-track tapes, to cassette tapes, to CD’s, and to the Internet. Each time, the step back in technology provided a step forward.
Finally, our students should be aware of their affect on the community in which they live. An old environmental saying was, “Think Globally, Act Locally.” My example here is the Broadalbin Beach. While the State of New York would like to strip us of the beach, the community should recognize the cultural importance of their assets. Students should be encouraged to be active (and vocal) about how their local government makes decisions and acts in behalf of the greater community.