Educational systems in Logan County: progressive and forward thinking

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[February 26, 2015]  If you blink, you could miss it. Our education system is changing rapidly, almost overnight as new tools for our educators become available and as the education system adapts to the needs of a changing world to prepare youth for careers.

It’s not great-grandma’s one-room school house with multiple grades taught together and a lot of rote memorization. Nor is it grandpa’s school with chalkboards, stacks of text books to tote, long daily lectures on any given topic; it’s not even pens and paper, or handwritten homework and tests any more. Rather, the classroom has become a dynamic and vibrant place filled with technology, energy and new freedoms.

In this issue we take a look at one of our most rural school districts, the combined New Holland-Middletown K - 12 school which has received state and national acclaim for its forward thinking and action in gaining technology tools for use by all of its students. Writer and educator Angela Reiners offered this comment after her visit, "What a small school in a somewhat impoverished community is doing is truly amazing."

Moving up the grade levels, we take a look into what is happening at the high school level. For this magazine we are featuring five articles on what is happening in Logan County's largest school, Lincoln Community High School. You will see that technology is having an impact on all the students there also. [Note: Be sure to check out the short video clips.]

During a February visit with LCHS students, Governor Bruce Rauner said that schools and communities need to be working together to get ahead. He said school districts need to share programs and resources; there needs to be more career and vocation programming that would propel students into quality careers earlier in life; and local businesses and community need to be involved with the training processes.

If the Governor were to look closely at LCHS, he would find the school right on track in those primary directives of his vision.

In this issue we look at the Lincolnland Technical Education Center, administered by Superintendent Robert Bagby, which incorporates eight consolidated school districts that offer eight career oriented programs.

LTEC courses are designed to enrich general studies and prepare students for success beyond high school as they gain work experience and training.

LCHS School Board president Jim Mammen commented that the school is working hard to stay up to date with the needs of the people around them. “If there is an industry that comes here, we will work to provide an education for that industry.”

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In another interesting article, we explore one more program that will be added in the Fall of 2015 which is creating a quite a stir: The Land of Lincoln Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities. LLCEO is a game changer in High School education in Logan County.

Lastly, in this issue, we review how Lincoln College engages with the community, how the school has embraced our agricultural roots with a new degree offering for Ag students, and more that the school is doing as President John Blackburn wraps up his productive three-year term.

In this special section, Lincoln Daily News shines the light on some of the great things that are happening in our schools; what our kids, teachers and administrators are doing that is a change for the better, adapting to meet the needs and demands of this world each and every day.

Editor in chief Jan Youngquist
and
LDN publisher Jim Youngquist

 

Read all the articles in our new
2014 Education Magazine

Title
CLICK ON TITLES TO GO TO PAGES
Page
Educational systems in Logan County:  progressive and forward thinking 4
New Holland-Middletown School District making a difference with technology 7
LCHS adapts new technologies to education 12
At LCHS, iPad use leads to exciting discoveries and better communications 16
Students learn practical welding skills usable in industries and for aesthetics 22
Building trades students learning more than just skills 28
Entrepreneurial program gives high school students an edge and rewards community 33
Lincoln College fulfilling its mission 'Experience Outstanding" 38

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