4 / 48
Page 4
2017 EDUCATION MAGAZINE
LINCOLN DAILY NEWS MARCH 1, 2017
T
here is an old saying, one
amongst many, that claims
it takes a village to raise a child.
We can extend the metaphor
a little and say that it takes a
community to raise a generation.
A strong supporting member of
that community is a committed
group of educators, both public
and private. After all, part of
raising a generation involves a
wider education of the world
around us.
In recent years, public education
has focused on preparing students
for standardized tests, aiming for
excellent test scores. This was
followed up by the introduction of
Common Core Standards, a state-
by-state set of standards for what
knowledge and methods students
should know by the end of each
grade level.
Change is happening. You
may find it insightful to read
New Holland Middletown
Superintendent Todd Dugan’s
story of how this rural community
elementary school has embraced
new alternative education
methods of teaching that peak
interest in deeper learning through
the use of current technology.
The same could be said of
Lincoln and Mount Pulaski
elementary schools, which are
focusing on bringing technology
skills into the classrooms with fun
and creative uses.
You might note the same
influences in the three new course
offerings combining sciences,
assessment and technology
coming to LCHS.
And area students can broaden
their academic experiences
through summer programs, as
close as Springfield, or online
courses offered by Illinois
Mathematics and Science
Academy.
Change is happening, and more
now than in decades through the
uses of technology.
Whatever the future holds, there
will likely continue to be a change
in approaches to education, due
to the possible placement of new
federal guidelines.
It is likely that there will be
a push for changes in where
students are educated, as new
voices in the federal government
push for increased choices for
parents looking to pick a good
school for their children. While
the federal government cannot set
a curriculum, they certainly can
shake things up for education.
At the moment, it seems safe to
say that we will see a renewed
emphasis on private school
vouchers and charter schools.
For those who do not know, a
charter school is an independently
funded school that is still publicly
accessible, much like a for-profit
college.
There are fourteen public schools
in Logan County working with
kindergarten students through
high school seniors. There are
also three private schools in the
county.
We spoke to officials at several
schools in the county, asking them
to share what they would like the
community to see, and what they
are thinking as they look forward.
Massive transitions in
Continued
u