One of the most challenging issues facing our community is how to best utilize our resources in educating our children. The pace of technological change can sometimes become overwhelming and it is important to understand the most effective ways to incorporate these technological advances into the educational process. One size does not fit all, and it is critical to design and implement change strategies that best meet the needs of our schools.

Every student currently enrolled in our public schools will not go on to college, though that should be our primary objective. For those students who are at risk of dropping out, alternative vocational training should be of paramount importance in securing stable employment upon their entrance into the work force. This training could be tailored to meet a myriad of jobs that are currently in short supply. Real life training that will improve the likelihood of gainful employment early on in their work history will most likely have the greatest impact on securing a positive integration into the community in which they live.

I believe that as a community we can do more to help address some of these issues and that funding these programs should take priority in our schools. Some people may say that we can’t afford to increase funding for these programs, but I say that we can’t afford not to. The cost to our society for every child who slips through the cracks is enormous. We owe it to ourselves to make every sustained effort possible to assist every child to ensure the best possible chance for a healthy, and successful future as a contributing member of our society.