Mentoring our Students

This year I have asked all CCPS central office administrators to spend time mentoring students in our schools. To model my expectations, several of my colleagues from the central office have adopted male students from Perrymont Middle School to mentor. Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend a team-building and confidence-building ropes course exercise with approximately 40 Perrymont boys.

The participating administrators included Dr. Lyle Evans, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources; Dr. Ed Pruden, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Administration; Dr. Robert Wingfield, Director of Middle School Education; Dr. Joe Tylus, Director of High School Education; Dr. Dallas Dance, Director of School Improvement; Dr. Alice Rose, Principal of Perrymont Middle School, Dr. Dallas Dance, Director of School Improvement; Tim Mallory, Security Manager; and program organizer, Harold Saunders, Assistant Director of Leadership.

The day provided challenging and fun experiences that emphasized the importance of teamwork in our everyday lives. Here are photos of the boys and their mentors climbing a 30 foot pole and then jumping off with the assistance of students holding a harness rope lowering us to the ground. When the boys first saw the pole, many said they were afraid of heights and could not climb that high. However, at the end of the activity, virtually every boy climbed to the top and jumped off safely. They proved that with teamwork and encouragement, we can overcome our fears and nothing is impossible. The boys even encouraged me to take on the challenge of climbing to the top – harnessed of course!

Educational Editorial: 21st Century Skills

I would like to share with you an editorial written by NBC12 Educational Specialist Dr. Bill Bosher regarding the skills we need to provide to our students that will enable them to succeed in work and in their lives. Dr. Bosher attended a Chesterfield schools seminar for educators of area school divisions. Here's what Dr. Bosher wrote:

Last night, 16 school divisions from central Virginia gathered at the University of Richmond for professional development.

Ken Kay, President and Co-Founder of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, was the keynote speaker. His organization consists of companies, some of the most influential in America, and institutions that have banned together to promote the development of skills beyond the three R's: problem solving, creative thinking, entrepreneurship, and self-direction.

The discussion was an avalanche of common sense, validated in research, and enabled by the development of sound public policy.

The exercise began with a question, "What are the two-three biggest changes in society in the last 25-30 years?" You can imagine the answers: the internet, workforce requirements, increase in the pace of change, and family dynamics.

The second assignment was, "List two-three skills that your students need to address the changes in society that you have described." The responses included: accessing and analyzing information, communicating with those who are different, solving problems, and adapting to many different jobs.

The last question was, "Looking at your school or district, how intentional are you in helping your students to develop these skills?" WOW, perhaps more of a goal than a question!

Ken Kay's quest, now adopted in 13 states, is not about creating a new set of disciplines or courses but about using the content that we teach to develop skills that are critical to successful work, and living. Do you remember asking your teacher, "how will I ever use this?"... well this is the answer, and it's coming to Virginia.