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Summit brings four BOCES together
Focus
is on high school reform
 David
Gibson’s message was loud and clear: New York State’s high
schools need to do a much better job preparing today’s students
for the demands of the workplace they will soon be entering.
As CEO
and president of the Albany-based X-Ray Optical Systems, Inc.,
Mr. Gibson said his company routinely recruits staff members
from other countries because he simply can’t find enough skilled
workers here.
His
words struck home to the 100-plus participants of the Nov. 6
Capital Region Education Summit that brought together
representatives of four area BOCES, state education officials,
administrators from area colleges, and business and community
leaders.
 HFM
BOCES administrators and staff brainstormed with their
colleagues from Capital Region BOCES, QUESTAR BOCES and
Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES and other
invited participants. This collaboration is part of an on-going
JMT Call to Action initiative between the four BOCES.
Working in small groups, attendees
wrestled with six compelling educational issues:
• What can we do better
or differently to improve high school completion rates in New York
State – particularly among poor and minority students?
• What can we do better or
differently to make sure today’s high school seniors are
prepared to get off to a strong start in college?
• What can we do better or
differently to make high school more interesting and relevant to
today’s students?
• How should New York’s high
school graduation requirements evolve to better prepare students
for a changing workplace and the new realities of a “flat
world/global economy?
• What can we do better or
differently to help ALL high school students understand the
myriad career opportunities available in a high-tech/high skills
economy?
• What can we do better or
differently to form effective partnerships between business and
education – and what should those partnerships look like?
Results of the brainstorming sessions will be compiled and
forwarded to participants for further consideration.
 The
education summit agenda also included a panel discussion on
“Reactions to the Data: What Efforts Have Already Been Mounted?
What Needs to Happen Next?” Canajoharie High School Principal
Donald Bowden discussed a “Lost Boys” program at his school
designed to reach out to high school dropouts and redirect them
to further educational and job opportunities.
 New
York State Regents Joseph Bowman and James C. Dawson joined in
the program, presenting an award of appreciation to John
Cavalier, chairman of MapInfo.
New
York State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills closed the
summit with his reflections on the educational challenges
schools face in the coming years. |
