Dr. Strickland's Blog

The Real World 2.0

2011-02-03T16:56:00.001-05:00

Our conversations usually center on how the world of education has drastically changed over the last generation. In the last few decades, the focus of education has changed from the teacher’s teaching, to the student’s learning. We talk often these days in education about “Rigor, Relevance and Relationships”. They are known as the “three R’s” of the 21st century. Our school system finds that when learning is relevant, students are engaged and learn more. Relevant learning is happening all over our system in every school, but I’d like to share two examples with you.
We found out recently that Tabor City Middle School has been awarded the prestigious MAGNA Award by the American School Board Journal for its R.E.A.L (Relevant, Engaging, Authentic Learning) Program. This innovative program has two separate components dealing with construction trades and communications. In the construction trades portion, student use algebra and other math skills to design and build storage buildings. Students create the footprint, dimensions and design of the building, then construct and sell the building. In the communications component, students designed a tv studio, helped construct the studio, and now write a daily news cast which is viewed on close circuit TV at the school and broadcast over the internet. The broadcast is also archived on a website that is maintained by the students. (You can see it at http://www.wtcmnews.info.) It is extremely exciting as an educator to see students engaged in learning, and taking ownership of these programs. This ownership occurs because the teachers involved understand that students learn by doing, and need the freedom to do so.
Another program that has been exciting is Acme Delco Elementary’s ESP program. The ESP (Earn, Save and Prosper) financial literacy program is a product of the collaboration between The Sigma Iota Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Riegelwood Federal Credit Union. Every student at the school has been given a savings account, and the credit union takes deposits at the school twice a week. Students learn the valuable real-world skills of saving, budgeting, and interest as well as the math concepts behind personal finance. Parents and students have also taken financial literacy workshops at the school through the ESP program. To date, close to $10,000 has been deposited by students at ADES. I believe that financial literacy is as important as any skill, for a lack of financial literacy can greatly reduce one’s options in adulthood.
These are just two examples of the many great real-world learning opportunities that our students have throughout our system. The 21st century is about learning to create, solve problems and communicate. In order for our students’ education to be rigorous, relevant and relational, we must be committed to leaving the educational methods of the past behind and embracing the new learner and new world that awaits our students. This new learner demands that learning be real, practical and hands on, and the new world demands it too.

American Education Week

2010-11-12T14:46:00.001-05:00

American Education Week Thank You

As superintendent, I make an effort to thank our students, faculty and staff with a short note anytime I observe or hear about a positive that they have accomplished. As we approach American Education Week Nov 14th- 20th, I’d like to write this personal thank you to all of our faculty and staff- for what they do every day.
To our bus drivers- thank you for your dedication and work ethic as you navigate difficult roads in all sorts of weather so that our children can arrive at school safely. I appreciate you being a role model. Your daily presence is stabilizing and comforting to our children, and your smiles first thing in the morning and last thing in the afternoon help set the mood for our student’s school day.
To our child nutrition workers—feeding a family is challenging, but feeding hundreds every day, twice a day is a feat that never fails to amaze me. Our meals are nutritious and appetizing, and I enjoy eating at each school. The job of educating our children would be impossible without your hard work.
To our maintenance, custodial and transportation workers- our schools average over 50 years in age and our buses travel 100,000 miles per year. You not only keep the buses running and schools open, but your abilities and talents save us precious funds each year. I fully realize the importance of the work that you do, and thank you.
To our clerical support staff- many of our facilities run smoothly because of you. Keeping up with appointments, placing orders, talking to parents, communicating with teachers and many other duties make your job especially important, and I thank you for your willingness to go above and beyond expectations daily as you fill so many needs.
To our Central Office support staff- your tireless efforts and dedication to the education of our youth serve as a daily inspiration for me, and all those that you touch. Thank you for helping our entire system move forward.
To our teachers, teacher assistants and administrators- my respect and appreciation for all you do increases every day. Education in the 21st century has demanded that many of us change our approaches and long-held beliefs. As our school system has moved forward, I have been awed by the willingness of our educators to learn from each other in order to make life better for our students. Thank you for staying late, arriving early and all the extra tasks that you do in between.

It takes many people to effectively educate our students. Please join me in thanking all of those special people that go to work each day to make life better for our children.

The World is Flat

2010-09-15T12:35:00.000-04:00

In the book “The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman, the author observes that the world is no longer a collection of countries functioning independently of one another, but rather all countries, and specifically all economies, are tied closely together in one large economic web. World events and technological advances have driven this flattening, and now, more than ever, our economy in the US is tied closely to the economy of the global market. In my personal travels to Japan, United Kingdom, China, Sweden and other places I have seen this first hand.

It is our job as educators to prepare our students for the future. While we have no idea what the world will look like in ten, or even five years, we do know that the globalization of economies and culture will play a role. It is against this backdrop that we decided as a school system to expand our students’ global horizons. Beginning with West Columbus High School’s partnership with Denmark, we sent teachers and students abroad, and students and teachers from Denmark came to WCHS. East Columbus sent teachers abroad to China, and teachers from China recently spent a week at ECHS. Students from China and East Columbus will continue the exchange program later next year; South Columbus will begin their exchange program with Denmark next year as well. We hope to bring Southeastern Early College on the project with an exchange program with China in the next year. These programs are made possible by the Center for International Understanding.

I have occasionally heard the wisdom of creating these exchanges challenged. There is extra time and expense involved, so why do we do it? The answer is simple: If our students are to have a chance at success, they will have to have a global perspective. I would argue that a student who leaves high school with little understanding about global society is in as much danger as a student who cannot read or write. We cannot take every student abroad, but we can bring the experience back to our schools to help create broader understanding among all of our students, teachers and administrators of the global society in which we live today.

AYP 2009

2010-07-28T11:51:00.000-04:00

Federal “AYP” scores have been released, and Columbus County Schools showed marked improvement in student achievement according to the AYP model. During the 2009-2010 school year, 63% or 12 out of 19 schools made Adequate Yearly Progress. Percentages of schools making AYP in surrounding systems include Brunswick County Schools at 58%, Bladen County Schools at 39%, Pender County at 63% and Robeson County at 32%. Larger systems percentages include Wake County Schools at 38%, Guilford County Schools at 58.5%, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg at 58%. As a school system, Columbus County Schools met 89.4% (243 of 272) of target goals. Eight schools exited federally mandated improvement (often referred to as Title I School Improvement) by posting two years growth. We were thrilled with the results, but not surprised. Our principals, faculty, staff and students have been working tirelessly to ensure that these gains happened, and I am extremely proud of these accomplishments.

As many of you know, testing and accountability have become very important in schools in the 21st century. Educators and stakeholders may have differing opinions as to the amount of testing and what the results say, but by in large, our schools and our school system are judged at least in part on our students’ performance on tests. This accountability is an alphabet soup of terms and formulas that many do not understand, so some clarification may help understand just what all the scores mean.

There are two major types of accountability: Federal and State. Federal accountability, also known as Adequate Yearly Progress and by its acronym AYP, breaks a school up into different subgroups. The subgroups are School as a Whole, White, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Multiracial, Economically Disadvantaged Students, Limited English Proficient Students, and Students with Disabilities. Each subgroup has a target goal (a number of students that must “pass the test”) that must be met. If all the subgroups meet their goals and 95% percent of the students are tested, then that school makes AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress). A few things to note about AYP: First, only students in grades 3-8 and 10th grade are considered when establishing AYP. AYP does help ensure that all students are being moved forward, and helps us as educators focus on groups that need assistance. One particular frustration about AYP I hear expressed often is that failure to meet even one goal prevents a school from making AYP. While looking at whether or not a school made AYP, one should also look at the number of goals accomplished to get the full picture. Columbus County Schools full AYP results are available at http://www.columbus.k12.nc.us/ayp.

The second accountability is the state “ABC” model. This model, while also very complicated, is based on proficiency (reaching level 3 or 4) on all End of Grade (EOG) tests or End of Course (EOC) tests at the high school level. The main differences between the AYP and ABC models are that student proficiency is considered independent of “subgroups”, and on the high school level AYP considers just Algebra I, English I and Writing, whereas the ABC model looks at those scores plus EOC’s Biology, Algebra II, Civics and Economics, US History, Physical Science and Geometry (Geometry will not be considered this upcoming year). The state has yet to release the ABC scores from last school year; that should happen sometime in August. Looking at our preliminary ABC scores, we feel confident there will be more good news to share.

It is important to understand this “alphabet soup” so that one can have a full understanding of what the results truly indicate. Scores are great, but they are signposts on the journey and not the destination itself. We still have students not achieving at grade level, and as long as we have one student that is not proficient, we cannot rest and we cannot stop improving as a school system. We also cannot rely solely on test scores to evaluate our effectiveness at creating “respectful, responsible adults” in a “global society”.

Test scores should not be the only standard by which we judge our schools. As Einstein once said, “not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted” meaning that the experiences our students have on the athletic fields, stages, classrooms and communities also serve to create not only well rounded students, but also well rounded people. The 21st century demands that our students can work “beyond the bubble” of the score sheet, and our schools will strive to create life long learners and creative problem solvers that can meet any test that life in our global society has to give.

Budget 2010

2010-06-24T13:57:00.000-04:00

The economy has been on the mind of everyone lately; it seems as though the news is bad all over. Every time the news comes on, so does another bad piece of news about the economy.

A year ago in June of 2009, our school system was faced with a very difficult financial crisis. Due to budget shortfalls, caused primarily by reduced tax intake, our school system was to lose 60 positions. To put this in perspective, this would have meant a 15% decrease in teaching positions. These cuts would have not only destroyed our schools, but our local economy, taking over 2 million dollars out of our county. These cuts would have meant further reductions in taxes collected, causing a snowball effect and putting us in danger of an even worse scenario the following year.

It was at this point last year that we learned that the federal stimulus would be coming and bringing close to 2 million dollars to our school system. Our plan had been to use these funds to add 21st century technology to every school in the form of laptops, handheld devices and other instructional technology hardware. Myself, along with the board and our leadership team, felt strongly that while this technology plan would be a great luxury, the necessity of keeping talented teachers outweighed the benefits of the added technology. With careful planning and the use of the added federal stimulus money, our job cuts went from 60 to just one for the 2009-2010 school year.

We held out hope during the 2009-2010 school year that things would improve, but we prepared for the worst, knowing that Columbus County Schools has to revert 1.4 million dollars to the state at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. As staff retired or resigned, we held as many positions as possible open in anticipation of the job cuts that would be occurring in June of 2010. When the reality of the budget situation came into focus, we realized that we could no longer avoid the loss of positions. Because we no longer had stimulus money, cuts had to be made. We followed the state recommended Reduction in Force policy and used a point system to determine which staff would be cut. This was not an easy thing to do- in fact this has been one of the most difficult processes I can ever recall in education. In this case, we made the best choices to ensure all our children have what they need to learn and be prepared for their future. There has been much publicity surrounding the nature of our job losses. While it is true that we reduced our positions by 25, we have reassigned and rehired 18 of the people involved. Overall 7 people have lost their jobs as of this writing. While this is still less than ideal, we have made every effort to balance the needs of our children with the needs of our staff.

Our school system exists for our stakeholders and we certainly welcome vigorous questioning of our choices. Some have questioned the timing of opening up a new school (Fair Bluff Technical Academy), and opening an Early College, and investing in projects like sending students abroad to places like Denmark. These types of questions are all valid, and I want our stakeholders to know a couple of things. First, we make what is best for students our top priority. We are bound ethically to pursue opportunities that will benefit our students and accomplish our mission of preparing students for a global society. Second though, it is important for everyone to note that in nearly all cases, these new and ongoing programs are accomplished either in part or in whole from outside funding, and would not decrease funds available for hiring. Not only should we pursue innovative opportunities, but when funds are available to supplement the cost, our school system would be doing a disservice to our students and our community by refusing these programs.

One final note is that the budget situation for the 2010-2011 school year is not completely settled. Lawmakers in Raleigh are still debating on final cuts that have to be made. It is possible that we COULD lose another 12-15 positions, and additional money may have to go back to the state even after the budgets are finalized. When these facts are pared with the reality that our local government contributes funds at a rate less than half the state average, the likelihood is that things will get a little worse before they improve. We understand that the county commissioners have proposed that a ¼ cent sales tax increase be placed on the ballot in November. Needless to say, any additional revenues coming into our county can only help our situation.

The situation seems desperate, and while it is bad, our school system is confident in our staff, and we know that while situations may not be perfect, our students will continue to get a top quality education. We do ask your help in one very important way. Please get involved with your child’s school or a school in your area. In difficult times, both in this country and in this county, the people that make up our towns, communities and schools have a history of prevailing. This time, I feel, will be no different.

Kindergarten Health Insurance

2010-04-29T15:29:00.001-04:00

We received some good news recently, and I wanted to talk with you a little about it. We received word from Governor Beverly Perdue’s office that Columbus County will be a pilot county for the “Healthy and Ready to Learn” initiative. This program identifies uninsured kindergartners and provides them with free medical care.

What does healthcare have to do with learning? We have known for many years that the first year of school is crucial for the child’s success. If a child gets behind the first year, it becomes increasingly difficult to “catch up”. Every single day is crucial to these very young minds. We have implemented Early Reading First programs at each of our elementary schools to insure that literacy issues are addressed before Kindergarten. We have also provided free breakfast for all students this year; multiple studies link a healthy breakfast and academic progress. One area that is in need of attention is health care for our kindergarten students.

Recently, Columbus County was labeled as one of the “unhealthiest” counties in North Carolina. Poor health does not just happen, but starts when health issues are not addressed in childhood. We focus on making sure students are ready to read and solve problems, but sometimes forget that to a child that is sick, or to a parent who is unable to provide basic medical care, school becomes a secondary priority. Chronic diseases, such as obesity or diabetes, also make a huge impact on a child’s ability to learn, especially if a child is not receiving regular check ups and is missing school on a regular basis. Making sure that our kindergartners have a healthy first year of school is as important and as connected to success as making sure they know letters, sounds and numbers. Our school nurses do an excellent job of identifying health issues and educating students and parents, but there is no substitute for consistent, preventative health care. This program will help make sure that students have a strong beginning on their way to a strong finish as adults. We must all remember that the children in our schools have real and present health needs that must be addressed if they are to be able to learn.

I would like to thank Governor Perdue for remembering this very important population in her overall plan for a healthier North Carolina; a healthier population will mean more productivity, and in turn will assist with the economic turnaround. The North Carolina Pediatric Society Foundation will take the lead in implementing this program, and will be joined by the School Nurses Association of North Carolina, N.C. Healthy Start Foundation, Action for Children, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Rural Health and Community Care, N.C. Healthy Schools, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, the Office of the Governor and the N.C. Academy of Family Physicians. The program is slated to be expanded next year to all 4 and 5 year olds. This will be statewide community based effort, and we are proud to be selected as one of the first counties to receive this important resource.

Early Reading First

2010-02-12T12:48:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, we were notified by Representative Mike McIntyre’s office that Columbus and Bladen counties will be sharing a 4.3 million grant for the Early Reading First program. While any good news is welcome, this news is particularly exciting for the fact that it will have an impact on students for years to come in all areas of our county.

The Early Reading First Program strives to have students on grade level by providing additional resources prior to entry into Kindergarten. After a screening process, a plan of action to increase reading skills is implemented during daily class time at an elementary school. Throughout this one year program, students increase reading skills through scientifically proven curricula delivered by highly trained teachers on a daily basis. The students receive computerized instruction and parents receive materials to extend the learning at home. There is even a summer program for students who need extra assistance.

Some studies have shown that as much as 90% of brain development happens by the age of five. If we rely on kindergarten to remediate deficiencies in our student’s reading skills, which is the foundation of all learning, the die may be cast and it may be too late for some. The Early Reading First program will help ensure that students are starting kindergarten ready for success.

Early Reading First will be implemented at ALL elementary schools for the 2010-2011 school year. If you have a child that will be four years old on or before August 31st 2010, we urge you to contact the elementary school in your attendance area and set up a screening time for your child. Having your child screened by an educational professional is the only objective way to discover the strengths and weaknesses that exist. If you know of any children who meet the age requirement in your community, churches or organizations, please encourage their parent or guardian to contact us for an appointment.

The funds from the federal government have made this program possible; without these funds we couldn’t have afforded the cost of such an expansive program. We are very fortunate to be able to provide this service at no cost to parents of eligible children. We believe that the benefits will be priceless in years to come.

Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us and I invite your comments....

Graduation Projects

2009-12-18T10:15:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays! We have just finished our mid-year Graduation Projects at each of our high schools, and I wanted to share with you some reflections on the work that our students have accomplished during this process.

As many of you know, Graduation Projects became a state requirement for graduating seniors, and then was repealed as a state requirement this past year. We were left with a choice of not requiring students to complete the project, or making the projects a local requirement. After discussions with administrators, students and parents, our board of education decided to continue the requirement. The question “Why require students to complete a requirement that the state doesn’t require” has been asked often of me, and some of you may be pondering the same.

Education is in a state of transition. We are preparing students for a future that is not predictable. A student who enters high school as a freshman will leave into an entirely different world as a senior because technology and society is moving at such a fast pace. Our students must learn to adapt, communicate and learn not just knowledge, but how to think in a flexible and creative way. The Graduation projects facilitate this by requiring students to collaborate with a community member, complete in-depth research and, perhaps most important, take an academic approach to a subject in which the student is genuinely interested. The final oral presentation to a committee completes the process. I have come to the conclusion that the projects come closer to real-world life and work experiences than any other endeavor we approach in our school system. They help bring the community in to our classrooms and show students that any interest can become a serious academic or career pursuit.

Some of the topics included Breast Cancer Awareness, Belly Dancing, Upholstering a Chair, Quilting and the Native American Indian Heritage, Cake Decorating, Rebuilding a Car Motor, Pharmacology, Paleontology, Fish Farming, Turtle Rescue, Tango Dancing, Scuba Diving, Fly Fishing, and Cochlear Implants. In many instances, these projects had fundraising or public service components. In the vast majority of projects, the students’ enthusiasm and mastery of the material were clearly evident. When we provide students an opportunity learn about a topic that they are passionate about, engagement and involvement result. My sincere hope is that, with your help, we will continue to evolve our schools into environments where all students are engaged and excited about learning. The lessons that the Graduation Projects have taught us will help obtain this goal.

Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us and I invite your comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com. We also invite you to view our Virtual Holiday Card at http://www.ccsholidaycard.com. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

American Education Week

2009-11-16T14:45:00.000-05:00

This week, November 16-21st marks American Education Week. I have always noticed the proximity of this week to Thanksgiving; it seems appropriate that, in a season of giving and thankfulness, we reflect upon our educators who give tirelessly each day, with little reward other than the satisfaction of a job well done.

In my visits to the schools, I often see teachers providing support in emotional and academic ways. I see custodians providing caring supervision and child nutrition workers asking about a student’s well-being. I witness computer technicians assisting with a child’s question, and I see central office personnel working closely with teachers to maximize all learning opportunities. Maintenance workers cheerfully assist teachers with any need and our office support personnel answer three questions, give a child a band aid, and answer the phone all at the same time. Most of you have heard the expression “It takes a village to raise a child”. It also takes a village to teach a child, and all of our staff work hard every day to ensure that each child’s needs are met, be they physical, academic or emotional.

As the year draws to a close, I have had many thoughts about our school system, and the issues we have had with budgets. We would love to be able to put technology in its rightful place in the classroom, to make all of our classes small and have all students learning in brand new buildings. What I have discovered, over and over again, is that what makes our schools special is not the building, or the technology, or the trophies in the display cases. What makes our schools special are the people—the people that challenge the minds of our children, and provide a special learning environment be it in the classroom, the athletic field, the stage, on the bus or in the hallway. On behalf of our 6,706 students, I want to take this opportunity to thank each of our staff as they go to work each day, striving and hoping to make a difference.

American author Elbert Hubbard once said “The object of teaching a child is to enable him to get along without a teacher.” In the final analysis, our schools’ commitment towards preparing children who think, not just learn, is the greatest legacy of Columbus County Schools and its educators. Thank you for all that you do.

Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us.

Budget Crunch

2009-06-08T14:29:00.001-04:00

As you are aware, state budget shortfalls for the upcoming fiscal year will have an impact on our school system. The cause of this shortfall is simple: fewer people in North Carolina are buying fewer goods, thus generating 4.7 billion fewer dollars. There has been much contradictory information about the budget cuts, but with the likelihood that the house will pass its most recent budget proposal, the possible outcomes are coming in to focus.

First, the bad news:

Without intervention, our school system stands to lose 28 teachers and 38 support positions. This accounts for approximately 7% of our personnel.

Now, the good news:

We are confident, if budget projections hold true, that we can prevent most of these losses for the 09-10 school year.

Our school system believes firmly that people, not supplies or even buildings, are the heart of an effective school. Even with extreme budget cuts, it is hoped that our school system can preserve most faculty and staff positions by using Title I and Stimulus funds afforded to us by the federal government. This is a year-to-year proposition and not an ideal solution, but could help in the short term. Important in this discussion is the fact that an exact budget has not been passed by the state legislature, and final numbers will likely not be available until less than a month before school starts, so change is possible. While we will lose positions, our best analysis at this point is that job losses should be minimal.

How will saving these jobs help more than just teachers and students? The economy of Columbus County is tied intricately to the schools in Columbus County. Not only is education one of the top employers in the area, but new business and industry looks to the quality of our schools as a primary factor in relocating or starting a new business. In addition, lack of quality, engaging education has typically resulted in higher unemployment, lower productivity, and ultimately more crime. The economy and schools are heavily reliant on each other.

That does not mean that the budget crisis is over. We will be forced to make some tough choices in other areas, and there is always the possibility of further budget cuts before or after the fiscal year begins. The situation may be even more difficult next fiscal year. Every year is crucial in the education of a child, and our focus has to be providing the best possible education for our students now.

Fortunately, our county commissioners were able to keep our local funding maintained at last year’s level. If the revenue situation does not increase, then taxes on all levels will have to increase, even on the local level, just to maintain our present situation. Any citizen who is concerned about these issues should contact the North Carolina Legislature or Governor’s office immediately, as these decisions and the ensuing negotiations to resolve differences are fast approaching. There are tough times ahead for all of us; my aspiration is that we can work together so our children’s future can be as bright as ever.

Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us and I invite your comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-12T12:35:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

While I think we all enjoy the holidays, returning to school and the New Year is something exciting. Our high schools are preparing for a new semester, while the rest of our students are continuing with their studies. I want to share with you some exciting events that happened before and after the holidays.

As many of you know by now, all students must complete a graduation project before leaving high school. The goal of this project is to combine technology, literacy and previous knowledge into a product that is then presented to a board of reviewers. Students must possess interview and communication skills to successfully complete the project, and must present themselves with professionalism- all skills students needed in today’s marketplace. In December, the first presentations were given by students at each of the three high schools, and the projects were fantastic. One student collected 2000 books for students in South Africa; other students created their own video game, served as a volunteer at a homeless shelter, created biodiesel fuel, and published a school magazine; one student even demonstrated the shoeing of a horse by bringing a horse and giving a live demonstration. Each project involved many hours of research along with many more hours of consultations with an advisor. The final project was submitted orally to a panel that then provided feedback on the project. The students were motivated and involved, many in a way that they had not been before. This underscores a very important point about 21st century learners: students learn best when they are engaged, and they are engaged when they are actively creating. We realize that students can’t always work on subjects they are passionate about, but we know when we let teaching be more about doing, rather than listening, our students are going to succeed. Our goal is to create classrooms where all students are actively participating.

We received some exceptional news at the beginning of the year. West Columbus High School, and East Columbus High School were both in the top five “turnaround” high schools in the state! This means that these two schools showed more growth in high schools in turnaround status than almost any other in North Carolina. We are very proud of the faculty and staff at each of the schools; we are especially proud of the students. This is an achievement of remarkable proportions, and one of which every citizen in Columbus County should be proud.

As we begin a new year or a new semester, I hope that you feel, as I do, a renewed sense of commitment to the children in your community and their education. Now is the time to ask questions and ensure that every child is on the right track to go to the next level in his or her education. A new year always brings new challenges, but new opportunities; new issues, but also new resolutions. Let’s make this upcoming year the best yet for our schools and our children.

Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us and I invite your comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com.

Holidays and Giving

2008-12-09T09:17:00.001-05:00

Its holiday time again—where did the time go? It seems like yesterday we were taking down the decorations, thinking about the year to come. I love the holiday season. I see so much kindness happen during this time of year that I wish, like many of us do, that it could last year round. And its not just Christmas, but Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa and other faiths and beliefs celebrate this time of year. I believe these holidays and celebrations show us that, at the end of the day, we have more in common with each other than we think- or maybe even want to admit. This time of year teaches us, more than any other, that we are all in this together, and our planet isn’t really so big after all.

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is attend the great arts concerts that our students and teachers present. I encourage each of you to see at least one concert this season; the list of all performances is on our website. These are truly some of the most moving and entertaining performances you will see anywhere.
We tend to think about gifts and giving this time of year; of course there are catalogs and Ebay and shopping malls, but often the gift we overlook is the gift that costs nothing at all. We like to think of this time as a magical one for children. We like to think that when the last song is played and the last bell rings, that each child goes home to a place that is full of holiday spirit, and Christmas morning is a joyous time full of laughter and toys. Unfortunately this is not true for all children- and we know that the economic situation has placed financial and emotional strains on all families. This Holiday season, regardless of your faith or beliefs, if each person was to find a less fortunate child in the neighborhood, or in the church, and make it a point to bring holiday cheer into their lives, that would truly be a gift worth giving. It doesn’t have to be a material item—it can just be your time. And it doesn’t have to be Christmas; it can be anytime of year. Let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas—hope, peace and love. Let your present this year be giving of yourself to a child that needs all three – and continue to give all year long.
Forty years ago on Christmas Eve, 1968 the astronauts of Apollo 8 became the first men to orbit the moon. I remember watching this in amazement as overnight the world shrank. What many of us came to realize as the cameras pointed back to the earth, seeing that tiny blue marble floating against a black backdrop, was that we are all part of a larger picture. Our differences, be them personal or ideological, are really insignificant, and when we come together to help the less fortunate, we truly are blessed in return.
As the astronauts finished their Christmas Eve broadcast, they sent a Christmas wish that rings true today and it is my wish for all of you: “Good Luck, Merry Christmas and God bless all of us, all of us on the good Earth”.

Happy Holidays!

American Education Week

2008-11-21T15:03:00.001-05:00

Last week, November 16-22, was American Education Week and it serves as a time for all of us to stop and ponder the meaning of education in all of our lives. This month also included National Parental Involvement Day (Nov. 20th) and of course National Family Week, which involves the Thanksgiving Holidays. Family tends to be first on many people’s minds around this time of year; I think that any conversation about education has to include family.

If you take a close look at education, and what has to take place for real learning to occur, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate family from learning. In the 21st century, the big change is that these “families” take on many shapes: a mother, father, grandfather, neighbor, pastor, friend, peer, or coach can all be part of the family unit and play a role in education of the individual child. In an ideal world, parents wouldn’t have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet—but the reality is parents can’t always spend as much time with their children as they would like, so that is when the larger “educational family” steps in—those adults that actively help that individual child succeed in and out of school.
What continues to amaze me is the very positive influence our teachers, administrators and support staff have on our children daily. The psychologist Abraham Maslow argued that until a child felt safe and accepted, learning could not take place. Everyday, our teachers have students that walk into their rooms with needs that need to be meet before learning can occur, and I am constantly awe-struck with the dedication and concern that our teachers do this—from the Kindergarten teacher dealing with a scraped knee to the high school teacher dealing with the broken heart. We can’t ignore that these children’s feeling exist, but rather we must help the student deal with them so that life, and learning can happen. This type of concern happens on the football field, and in the tutoring room, and in the congregation hall, and in the employment office and many other places both in and outside of school. This care is what educators, and families do. I am so very thankful for the teachers that we have, but I am also thankful for the close-knit communities that help make up the families and educational support systems that our students so desperately need. Without this family of caring, concerned individuals, many, many of our students would fall through the cracks.

This American Education Week, I’d like to take time to thank those that make a difference not just by working with our students in school, but to those that help make up our larger educational family in all walks of life.

Global Education

2008-10-10T09:40:00.000-04:00

One of the terms that we hear a lot is “global education”- one of those phrases that everyone seems to have an idea about what it is, or what it should be. I too have a strong opinion in this area, and would like to pass along some thoughts to you.

If you have never visited Google Earth on the web, I encourage you to go there. Type in your street address and what pops up may amaze you- or maybe even frighten you. You can see a view from space of your neighborhood or maybe even your house. When the Soviet Union launched the satellite Sputnik in October of 1957, many people feared that the Soviets would use this technology to spy on the US – which was impossible using the technology of the time. Fast forward fifty years and what once was science fiction is now science fact—and not just fact, but accessible to everyone.

I bring this up not to suggest that Google Earth is anything sinister, but rather to point out how technology is shrinking our world. Recently, one of our teachers, art instructor Larry Hewett from West Columbus High, traveled to Turkey, and gave podcasts uploaded from his cell phone over the internet. Visitors to our website had almost instantaneous access to something that was recorded half way around the world. When Orson Wells broadcast his controversial “War of the Worlds” broadcast nationwide in 1938, the broadcast went out over phone lines to affiliate radio stations—a distribution method that was very costly- and very inefficient involving thousands of miles of wire. When Neil Armstrong walked on the moon in 1969, it was carried live across the world via satellite- and no wires. When events of the 90s happened, cell phone video technology was used by reporters. Mass media has become instant. Emerging technologies have changed the landscape. Not only does a student need to know where a country is, but students must understand how one culture interacts with another culture, how markets overseas affect ours here, and what impact the “price of tea in China” really has on the people of our area- and the world. As these technologies create a global marketplace, our students will need to understand the cultures of far away lands – because the chances are that ANY job will require a knowledge and sensitivity of other places, and other people. If technology literally shrank the world in 50 years, what might technology do in the next 25 or 30 years? Many jobs may involve “virtual offices” where workers from all over the world meet to collaborate. These exist even today.

Our teachers, administrators and students must find ways to move beyond just the front door, and connect with those in other cultures. We have had teachers go to Senegal, Turkey, Japan, China and many other places. The experiences they bring back are invaluable to not only themselves and their students, but also to other teachers. West Columbus High School, in partnership with the North Carolina Center for International Understanding, will enter into a partnership with a high school in Denmark, where teacher, students and administrators will travel between the two countries and experience the differences that exist between the two cultures. Of course not all teachers can travel to far off lands. But the ones that do bring the experience home to everyone.

Gone are the days when global awareness meant knowing where countries are located and naming the four oceans. In today’s education, global awareness means learning about how other people live, learning about what drives markets throughout the world, and learning about cultures so that there can be understanding among people. This is nice thought because after all, we do want the world to be a peaceful place for our children. But the reality is our students need to know about the world, because of the speed at which that same world is shrinking. Global Education must become ingrained in what we do in every subject, not just a few times a year.
Our mission statement for Columbus County Schools emphasizes the words “Global Society”. The future of jobs in the United States may very well depend on our ability to understand and compete in a society that is ever shrinking, technical, and global.

Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us and I invite your comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com. We also invite you to listen to our podcasts from Denmark on our website.

21st Century Drop Outs

2008-09-24T15:56:00.000-04:00

21st Century Drop Outs

Governor Mike Easley has proclaimed September 7th-13th Graduation Awareness Week. In the spirit of this official proclamation, my hope is to make all of us aware of a few issues surrounding graduation.

In my travels throughout the county and state, I have heard parents, grandparents and students make statements about graduation and college. I’d like to share some of these with you, and see exactly where we stand in relationship to those issues in 2008.

Statement: My child doesn’t need a high school diploma, and definitely doesn’t need a college degree- I didn’t.

Just like the cost of food and other items go up, so has the experience necessary to hold even the simplest jobs. This is sometimes referred to as “inflationary education”. Roughly translated, jobs that required no high school diploma twenty years ago now do, those that required no post-secondary training now do, those that once required associate’s degrees now require bachelor’s degree’s etc. A worker with an associate’s degree makes on average $8000 more than one with a high school diploma. This is often the difference between living in poverty and not. I don’t know of a single parent who wishes poverty on their child, yet when we fail to encourage our children or allow them to fall short of their potential, we are setting them up for a very difficult life. The 21st century requires skills that can only be learned through additional education.

Statement: College is too expensive.

This use to be a formidable barrier. Even with the excellent support of our guidance counselors and financial aid officers, getting the money it took to go to college was often unrealistic. If a student was able to get loans or financial aid, after graduation they were left with thousands of dollars of debt. Thanks to the North Carolina Learn and Earn program (http://www.nclearnandearn.gov), students can enroll in college courses and receive up to two years credit while still enrolled in high school- free. NC Learn and Earn also has a grant program which would allow eligible students to finish their final two years free, allowing the student to graduate with a bachelor’s degree and no debt. On average those graduates with a college degree make $22,000 dollars more than students with high school diplomas.

Statement: My child has had some challenges in the traditional school setting. Why should I encourage them to take college classes now?

We are finding that some students participating in online courses actually perform better because it fits their style of learning. Of course we have students that also struggle, but—and this is important—students are much more likely to seek assistance in the high school environment where they have a built in support system and teachers to assist. Many students fail in the college setting because they lack the type of support that they received in high school- they are in many places “on their own”. NC Learn and Earn provides college-level courses in a safe, familiar atmosphere.

Statement: I am a graduating senior and want to stay in Columbus County. Why should I go “above and beyond” just to get my high school diploma. Why not just take a job where I don’t need any additional training?

This is a question I hear often. Many companies will give a higher starting salary with additional studies beyond high school, even if it’s just an hourly wage. The fact that a student takes the initiative to study beyond high school can also set them above the other 1500 recent graduates in the eyes of a prospective employer. Also, one of the obstacles to getting additional companies to locate in Columbus County is our lack of highly skilled workers. If all of our students looked at their education as not stopping until SOME courses were taken post-high school, our local economy would be much better for it.

You’ll note that I have not talked about drop out prevention, or just getting students to graduate. Columbus County Schools has numerous “safety nets” in place from NovaNet credit recovery, to highly trained, caring guidance counselors. We have lowered the drop out rate and are dedicated to doing so in the future. In a way, though, these are hollow victories, because we know that just getting a student through high school has still left the child missing vital skills that could improve the quality of their life.

I want to hold our school system to a higher standard. We need to focus on the “21st Century Drop Out” -the number of students that, despite all the opportunities, fail to receive any training after high school. Their future is as bleak as the traditional drop out’s future was twenty years ago. Join me in reinforcing the importance of advanced education to every child—from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade.

Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us and I invite your comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com.

The Starfish

2008-09-08T12:29:00.001-04:00

There is a story that is near and dear to me; I have heard it and told it myself many times- as a matter of fact, I used it at our recent convocation. Many of you know it too. No matter how many times I hear it, this story serves as a lesson to us all about children and education.

There was a man walking along the water at sunset when he came upon a vast stretch of beach where thousands of starfish had washed up during a recent storm. In the distance, the man could see a tiny figure making quick, purposeful movements. As he walked closer he could tell that the person on the beach was a little boy who was picking up the starfish and throwing them back into the water. When the man finally reached the little boy, he asked “What are you doing”. The little boy replied “ I am throwing back these starfish so they can live”. The man replied “Look at all these starfish. You can’t possibly make a difference.” The little boy smiled quietly and threw one of the larger creatures well out over the breaking waves. “It sure made a difference to that one,” he said.

The lesson that this story teaches us is NOT that only some can be saved, but rather if we all work together, we can make a difference in EVERY child’s life- even if it is just one at a time. After the hard work of 2007-2008, we were thrilled to see that our school system has one of the highest percentages of schools making growth under the state’s ABC model in southeastern North Carolina- including Pender, Brunswick and New Hanover counties. I can assure you that a lot of starfish throwing made this happen. Our staff made the commitment to reach every child in a meaningful and engaging way, and the effort paid off handsomely.

Even though we made great strides, our work is not over. It is simply not enough to stop with just some of our students succeeding. This year we have put forth new initiatives that will build upon our past successes.

First, we will put a focus on Instructional Technology. One of the mistakes of the past (and present for that matter) is assuming that sticking technology in the hands of teachers (or students) without any purposeful direction is a recipe for disaster. We will give teachers the training they need to take students “beyond the powerpoint” , allowing students to create content with technology through podcasts, videos and blogs. We don’t want our students to be passive users of technology, but rather active creators using technological tools.

Second, all of our staff will utilize “High Yield Strategies” . These are scientifically proven tactics that are shown to raise achievement, like cooperative learning and consistent reinforcement. The goal is to utilize these strategies in such a way as to facilitate all learning styles.

Third is the development of Professional Learning Communities. Simply put, this is the process of bringing educators together in groups to assist in developing learning strategies for each student. More than just meetings, PLC’s will focus entirely on instruction and will allow all teachers to have input on the most effective ways to reach our students.

Finally, we hope to increase our parent involvement. We have discovered that the most important resource we have as educators is our parents. We need assistance at home and at school- but we strive to give all stakeholders a voice in how our children are educated. We hope to do this not just through PTA meetings and athletic events, but also through community roundtables and honest, one-on-one discussions.

Thank you for your support during the very successful year we had in 2007-2008. This year brings with it a new set up challenges, commitments, hopes and dreams. Our goal is a productive and bright future for all of the starfish that come ashore.

Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us and I invite your comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com.

School Version 2.0 - To the Graduates

2008-06-06T17:03:00.001-04:00

I have been speaking to everyone this year about the many changes that have taken place over the years in the field of education. While I have been speaking to everyone young and old, in school or out school, many of my remarks have been directed towards parents and other stakeholders. Today, I would like to direct my remarks directly to our MOST important stakeholders—our students—specifically the graduates of the class of 2008.

The changes that have occurred since the day you were born are overwhelming. When you were born the Soviet Union and East Germany still existed.. Cell phones were carried in bags, and the first web page was still months away. The average price of gas was $1.10 and a personal computer, which had a tenth the power of a modern cell phone, no hard drive and only one megabyte of ram sold for around 1200 dollars. Your generation has been in many ways the first generation to be truly “high tech”. The information being gained by society multiplies literally by the minute. So what does this mean to you as you head out into the oft-mentioned “real-world”? To fully understand what your future holds for you, I’d like to take you back to English class for one more lesson.

Poet Robert Frost wrote in his 1920 poem “The Road Not Taken”:

I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.

We have taken you on a thirteen-year journey, but the traveling has just started. Our goal is to get you to the fork in the road where you now stand, and now the rest is up to you. The decisions you make over the next few months and years will determine where your journey leads. It would be easy to take the road that seems shortest; this will be the path that many will take- but we all know that shortcuts can leave us lost. I want to challenge you to take the road less traveled by continuing your education in a field that has true meaning and enjoyment for you. We have taught you all these years in the hopes that when you leave us, you will be inspired to continue learning your entire life. In today’s world of technology and progress, it will be those that continue to learn and keep pace with the world that will be successful.

To all the graduates of 2008, I would like to say thank you for your hard work to get to this point. As you stand here where the road diverges, I encourage you to take that road which leads you to a place of personal and spiritual enlightenment through life-long learning. It may not be the shortest road, but I assure you it will be the road that makes all the difference.

School Version 2.0- Maintenance

2008-06-06T17:02:00.000-04:00

This week, we will have our annual custodian banquet honoring the men and women that work so hard to keep our schools looking attractive, clean and functioning in an efficient manner.

In previous generations, maintaining a building was a fairly simple proposition. There were a few floors to sweep, and perhaps a pipe to repair, but no major considerations. Fast forward to today, and all buildings have heating and air (controlled by computer nonetheless), miles of electrical wiring, miles of computer wiring, hundreds of yards of plumbing, large paved parking lots and what amounts to a small city arriving and leaving from each facility each day.

Our custodians and plant operations personnel have a daunting job. The average age of our facilities is around fifty years. The maintenance involved in keeping all of our schools open and safe for our children is a daily, almost hourly proposition, and our folks are more than equal to the task. As I travel to each school, I am amazed at how well our facilities look and function, even though some buildings are 70 years old. We realize that the appeal a school has when parents, teachers, stakeholders and students enter a campus can have a real impact on the education and attitudes that take place inside. In order to create this positive environment, it takes custodians who have great pride in their work and are very thorough, and plant operations workers that are capable and creative, finding solutions to problems that are sometimes difficult, seemingly impossible to solve.
I have also observed custodians helping teachers in many different capacities. In our schools the custodians are often the “go to” person whenever a teacher has a special project or has a special need. Our plant operations workers not only maintain very complicated electrical, plumbing, heating and air and computer systems, but are also a general resource for helping schools complete a wide variety of projects including performances, graduation ceremonies and athletic events. My personal experience is that these men and women are not only exceptional at what they do, but exceptional people themselves, caring not only for the buildings in their charge, but for the children inside those buildings as well. In short the men and women who make up our maintenance staff are an invaluable resource that makes daily life at our schools not only possible, but enjoyable. I hope we all, whether we are teachers, administrators, parents or community members take time to realize this and thank them for the very important work they do. They are a vital part of our educational process, and without them our school doors would never open and our school bells would never ring.

Child Nutrition Week

2008-06-01T22:40:00.002-04:00

This week, May 5^th-9^th is Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week. We have talked often about the changing times, especially in education.. School lunches have not been immune to the times, having changed tremendously over the past few decades. Today, there are very stringent guidelines outlining what can and cannot be served and how it can or cannot be prepared. There is a mountain of paperwork and record keeping, not to mention recent developments like computerized tracking of student meals. Oh yes—and thousands of people to feed!

One thing that hasn’t changed is the dedication of the men and women who make it happen everyday. In our county there are over 10,000 meals served on a daily basis. These meals nourish the bodies of our children so that their minds can grow. Without this nourishment, a student’s attentiveness drastically lessens. The reality is that some our students receive their most nutritious meal of the day at school, and all of our children are healthier because of the care, concern, and planning that goes into each meal. Our child nutrition employees also serve very important roles as mentors and counselors as well. Some of the best role models our students have are the men and women they see everyday at lunchtime.

When I eat lunch with students at each school, without fail I leave with a full stomach and a little awe that these managers and workers can pull off the daily feat of feeding so many so well. I think most of us take for granted the intense planning and preparation that goes into running an effective school cafeteria, and I would like to take a moment to thank all of our child nutrition workers for the “ordinary miracles” they create everyday – giving not only nutrition- but themselves to our children.. They are the lifeblood of our schools, and without them education would be impossible.

We welcome your comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com. Please visit our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us.

Eighth Grade Continuation

2008-04-23T15:40:00.003-04:00

One thing I have discovered over my years in education is: change is hard. I think a lot of times change is much harder on us adults than it is on our children. I want to talk to you about a change that we have made, and why we have made it.

At the end of last year, we made a decision as a school system to change the way we handle the 8th grade continuation exercises. We looked at surrounding schools and school systems and what they were doing, weighed the pros and cons, and decided to no longer hold “continuation” exercises (essentially a graduation ceremony) at the 8^th grade level.

Our principals informed parents at the beginning of the school year and again in the middle of the year, and now as we start to enter the final stages of this school year some have expressed concern, which I completely understand. I know many of our parents have looked forward to the day when their child can walk in these continuation exercises, proud that they have made it through the 8th grade. We want our students to feel proud of their accomplishments. We also want to recognize them for outstanding achievement in all areas. I have asked for all schools to create an awards ceremony or dinner to do just that. Now instead of students being recognized just for passing 8^th grade, students will be recognized for achieving high grades, good attendance and behavior, as well as other accomplishments. Also, high-performing students will continue to be recognized as “marshals” or “ambassadors” in seventh grade—and will serve an important role in their schools. We will continue to recognize achievement in the middle grades as we always have. But- we want to stress to the parents and the students that the journey is just beginning, and that much hard work lies ahead in high school. The truth is that graduating from 8th grade is no more or less important than graduating from 5th grade or 10^th grade. I do not want students to look at reaching the end of 8th grade as a goal; this implies that the journey is over. In this day and age, we must keep all students looking forward to graduating from high school with real skills and abilities to take them to the places they want to go: college, technical school, the workforce. A child who drops out before that walk across the stage is at a tremendous disadvantage, and we must do everything in our power from Kindergarten on, to keep our students focused on the goal of graduating from 12^th grade. The proud feeling of watching a child walk in a graduation ceremony should be reserved for graduation from high school, for then it is an accomplishment of a thirteen year journey that has true life-changing significance.

School version 2.0 - End of the School Year—Yesterday and Today.

2008-04-21T08:37:00.002-04:00

Thirty years ago, late April and early May was a much different time in schools. As the days got longer and warmer, recess would last just a little bit longer, class would “wrap-up” a little bit sooner, and basically everyone connected with the schools were more or less passing the time before the arrival of summer. The serious work of school was over, and the time was filled with year-end parties, movies etc. This is not to say that teaching and learning didn’t take place, but the pressure lessened with each passing day.

Fast-forward to today’s schools, and we see the reverse is true. The days may be warmer and longer, but this time of year has become the most important in students’ lives, because it is in these last few weeks of school that the students learn and review for End of Grade and End of Course tests. The pressure grows each and every day. The scores that a student receives on these tests has a tremendous impact on his or her academic future. If a student fails to pass an EOG (Grades 3-8), they will have two more times to take the test, but those opportunities happen very close together. A year’s worth of material cannot be learned in this time, so it is essential that parents stay in contact with their teachers to understand areas of weakness that need to be improved upon BEFORE taking an EOG. After three tries, the child stands a high probability of being retained. EOC’s in High School count 25% of the overall grade. A student can be passing a course but fail because of a low EOC score. Here again, it is essential that parents monitor their child’s progress closely, and encourage them to spend some time each week reviewing material from earlier in the year. Finally, students should do everything possible to be in class these final few weeks, and parents should encourage good attendance. The reality of the situation is a child can fall behind in only a couple of days, and at this point in the school year it can be very difficult to catch up.

With all the pressure that students face today, it is also important to remember that the many events that are taking place: athletic events, spring musicals, concerts etc. are very valuable to our students. These activities give our students an outlet and help prevent them from burning out on the pressures applied by testing and the end of the school year.

Thirty years ago, this was a relaxing time for educators and students alike. Those days are gone, and while the pressures have increased, so have the levels of achievement. We realize across our system that the final weeks of school are more important than the first ones, because it is in these final days that the concepts that have been learned are taken to higher levels of thinking, which of course, is what we are all about.

We welcome your comments on my blog at http://www.drstrickland.blogspot.com/ and be sure to check out our website at www.columbus.k12.nc.us.

Awards – Yesterday and Today

2008-04-04T16:16:00.000-04:00

I think most schools have some old, dusty trophies sitting around somewhere. Some are long-forgotten accomplishments and some are more recent activities. If you look at the older awards you see that the metal is tarnished or bleached from constant sun. Even last year’s awards don’t look quite as “nice” as they once did.

Recently, I attended several award ceremonies where our school system was recognized for outstanding achievement.

At the North Carolina Association of School Administrators Awards Ceremony, Hallsboro/Artesia Elementary School was recognized as the Eastern Region Elementary School Trailblazer Award Winner for their after school program that partners with a local church. Tabor City Middle School was the Eastern Region Middle Schools Trailblazer Award Winner with their Academic Intramurals, a program designed to inspire and encourage academic achievement. Our entire School District was recognized as the only recipient of the Trailblazer Award for School Districts.

The American School Board Journal also awarded our school system a national honorable mention for our Beginning Teacher Support Program, which aims to retain and support new teachers, and finally The American School Board Journal awarded Southeastern Early College, our partnership with Whiteville City Schools and Southeastern Community College, a national award for Early College’s program to provide college access to high school students.

I can’t begin to describe how thrilling it was to see our schools recognized on the state and national level. I honestly feel each award was earned, as there were many hundreds of other eligible schools and systems. Who deserves credit for these accomplishments? Our support staff does. The principals do. The teachers do. Our parents, community and business partners do- but most importantly – our students deserve the credit. They have accomplished the really hard work of making tough decisions and sacrifices so that their future may be brighter.

So what happens to these awards now? Well, they’ll be displayed and admired for a little while. They’ll serve as a reminder of the benefits of hard work. But awards and plaques fade. They go on the shelf and are soon forgotten. The true awards for us as educators are the living, breathing ones that walk through our doors each morning. I am very proud of our school system, and our accomplishments. But the reason that I am proud is that I know that these accomplishments represent improving education for our students.

The awards may tarnish and fade, but once a fire has been lit in the eyes of a child, it never goes out. We must now work doubly hard to make sure that fire burns deeper and brighter with each passing year.
Thanks for listening. We welcome your comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com. Also, information about our school system can be found at http://www.columbus.k12.nc.us.

The Importance of Arts Education

2008-03-20T17:15:00.001-04:00

We have talked often this year about the changes taking place in education due to the changing global society that we live in. I would like to speak today about one topic that is never very far from my mind and of many of the educators I know: arts education.

On Sunday, March 16^th from 1pm-5pm at West Columbus High School, Columbus County Schools, Whiteville City Schools, and the Columbus County Arts Council presented our annual “Celebrate the Arts” weekend. It was one of the proudest moments that I have had as an educator. I am very proud of the size of the festival: 1000 students, all arts education teachers and around 2000 attendees make this the largest student arts festival in the state. But what I am most proud of is the individual student that has had a life-changing experience, or the 10 year-old who see their work displayed for the first time and becomes motivated in all areas of school, or the teacher that becomes rejuvenated and resolved from seeing the excellence that this program encourages.

Celebrate the Arts is one of many fantastic projects happening in our arts education programs. From 6^th grade until graduation, our students have the opportunity to take arts education classes EVERYDAY. Columbus County Schools is one of only 7 school districts in the state requiring an arts credit to graduate- a fact of which I am most proud. Grants this past year from the North Carolina Arts Council and Columbus County Arts Council have greatly enriched our students and community’s lives. Through the NC Arts Council’s SPARC program, West Columbus High School selected a sculptor that is in the process of creating a permanent artwork for the grounds of West Columbus. Also through the NC Arts Council, students at South Columbus High School worked with a professional filmmaker to create clay animations. In April, a dance company will spend a week at Guideway Elementary School, culminating in a public performance. Through the Columbus County Arts Council, our students have been exposed to world-class ballet and storytelling experiences. We are truly fortunate that we have such rich opportunities available to our students. As exceptional as those experiences are, they pale in consideration to the daily “ordinary miracles” of our arts classrooms. Everyday, students go into arts classrooms all over the county and leave transformed. We are truly fortunate to be able to offer such an important component of education.

The past decade has been a difficult one for arts education nationally. Many school systems have decided to curtail or simply do away with arts education. The added pressures of testing make many stand up and say: how are the arts helping? We have been fortunate in our area because those statements have been rare- there is a unique appreciation of the arts in our area that is hard to find elsewhere. It is a fair question though—in the 21^st century global society wouldn’t our students be better off focusing solely on academics so that they will be better prepared for the workforce? The answer is a resounding NO. In fact, arts education directly prepares students for the world of work. I know of few jobs that require sitting at a desk bubbling answers. With the growth of information so explosive, we could never teach our children everything they need to know—so we must teach them how to seek out information and process it. The jobs of the 21^st century involve interaction with coworkers, brainstorming multiple solutions, picking a course of action, modifying that course midway and reflective thinking on the outcome. There is little emphasis on what an individual knows and more emphasis placed on what an individual can do with the information given. This happens in our arts education classes everyday: whether creating a piece of artwork or singing a song or dancing or acting in a play. The students in these courses are learning perhaps the most important 21^st century skill of all: how to think. The arts also reach those students that may have different learning styles and have a profound grounding effect of teenagers by giving them a means for expression at a time when there is a true identity crisis. The arts affirm and solidify values. When a student reflects on life and themselves in a deep and meaningful way as happens through the arts, they begin to learn on a deeper and more meaningful level. This is important because we don’t want our students just to know the price of things, but most importantly their value.

I invite you to make comments on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com. You can always find out great information about our school system at http://www.columbus.k12.nc.us.

Edducational Technology

2008-02-26T21:29:00.002-05:00

We’ve been talking all school year about how things have changed from the way they use to be. We have yet to talk, though, about the greatest change that has occurred in our lifetime. When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin touched down on the moon on July 20, 1969, they owed the success of their journey to a revolutionary 70 pound box called a computer. The capacity of this computer was around 2,000 words (less than a newspaper article!) with a cpu speed of around 1Mhz (modern cell phones are 400-500 times more powerful). It was truly a “modern” device and a triumph of technology.
Since then, the geometric growth of computer technology in everyday life is something that even the most forward-minded thinkers have been unable to predict. We are discovering new ways to use new technology, and one of those new uses has been and continues to be education. Technology is crucial to today’s education; the internet, software and advancing technologies have opened up new worlds to our students. But we as educators (and adults) need to step back and truly understand the implications of the explosive growth of technology.
There has been a tendency across the country in education to equate technology with computers. More computers=more technology= more learning. While it is true that computer technology does open up many possibilities, sitting a child down in front of a computer to “research” isn’t any different than throwing down an encyclopedia. Yes, there may be more information, and it may be more visually appealing, but is it engaging to the student and does it require higher order thinking skills? We may use PowerPoint presentations in our classroom- but is that fundamentally different from the chalkboard? Research on the internet and PowerPoint presentations can be very worthwhile activities, but technology can be and needs to be much more. Ten years ago, we focused on the access to content that technology provided. Today that content is everywhere. Our students, through cell phones, blogs and social networking sites have become not just consumers of content but CREATORS. While all of our English teachers are trying to figure out how to get their students to write in class, many of them are going home and writing voluntarily on a blog or website. In fact, many of our students only use paper at school. The writing is on the wall; in order to engage our students and prepare them for the future, we can’t only teach them how to access content, but rather we must teach them to filter content and use their own creativity to create new content within the context of technology. How is our school system meeting these challenges? Staff development has helped bring about a general understanding of the importance of effective use of technology. We know that access is the first step, so we have begun the purchase of mobile labs, a collection of wireless laptops that can be used in any classroom- or anywhere on the school grounds. Teachers are beginning to become content creators themselves through webpages and blogs. Ipods and PDAs are being used to enhance classroom learning and teacher education. Sophisticated software for learning is being implemented. This spring we plan a major revision to our technology plan, which will place a primary focus on instructional technology and its effective use. We also plan to implement more initiatives to provide students with content-creating opportunities, utilizing media and web 2.0 applications.
Above all, because technology is changing so fast, access is not equivalent to success ; a computer in and of itself is not the answer. Using technology to awaken young minds and create real connections in a familiar language is what we strive to be about. The 20th century was about providing access to information through technology. The 21st century will likely be about what individuals create with that knowledge. In order to prepare our students to be successful in the technological world, we must prepare them not only to click, but also to create.

School Version 2.0- Bibles in Schools

2008-01-24T08:36:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of mis-information about the distribution of Bibles in our schools, and I would like to set the record straight. I am sure that everyone knows of the excellent and important work that the Gideons do in our community. I personally feel that putting the word of God into people’s hand can and does have life-changing effects. We have always invited them into our schools and they have given out Bibles to thousands of children over the years.

The Constitution and other laws are clear about what is allowed and what is not when it comes to religion and school. As a person who is heavily involved in both, I would like to tell you how I personally feel. I am a Christian. In my day-to-day life I use my faith not only as a means of support, but as a means of guidance. My faith is not separate from my job; they are forever joined. I would hope that every student, teacher and administrator would find the same comfort in faith that I have found.

As superintendent of Columbus County Schools, I am bound to uphold the laws and constitution of the state and of the country. One of those laws states that to allow Bibles to be distributed in grades K-8 is unconstitutional. Could we fight this? We could. We have received, in writing, a letter that says that if we do distribute Bibles in those grades, we WILL be sued. Estimates are hard to gather, but even if we won a lawsuit, excess legal fees could run many hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our school system or county government would have to pay for this- we could not use state or federal funds. We have also been told by our liability insurance carrier that no coverage would be provided for such a lawsuit.. That money needs to stay in our schools and in our community, where it can help give our students the tools they need to be successful. We will continue to review requests for distribution of materials in school on a case-by-case basis. However, under laws of Equal Access, if we provide one group access to distribute materials, we must provide EVERY group access. This could mean that we may be forced to provide access to groups that are controversial in nature.

Do these changes mean that religion is leaving our schools? Far from it. Students of all grades, as well as staff, may bring Bibles to school to read during non-instructional time. Several of our school facilities have Bible study groups that meet after school, and many of the students in our schools participate in clubs that are faith-based. Many of our students participate in “Rally Round the Flag”, a student-led before-school prayer. Every classroom in our system has in it the national motto of the United States, “In God We Trust”.

I know that many of you will be upset that we are following the law. As a leader and a role model, I must follow the law if I am to ask our staff and our students to do the same. But beyond following the law, I will follow my heart. I will continue to be a role model to our young men and women, and I would encourage all of you out there to truly consider what is the right thing to do in this situation. Is it really the right thing to spend time and energy fighting for a cause, or is it the right thing to spend the same time and energy fighting for our young people, getting them to go to church, and helping them become their best when they are there?

Our school system desperately needs the help of faith-based organizations. Our District Strategic Plan requires that every one of our schools partners with two faith-based organizations. Our school system and the Columbus County Economic Development Commission have started an initiative that would give every church in the county an opportunity to mentor a handful of students. We have identified almost 150 churches. If each church takes a few children under its collective wing, helps them, both spiritually and academically, think of the positive impact that would have. We all know that when a child knows someone cares, they are much more likely to strive to their full potential; in many cases our churches may be the only hope for a child to find someone who cares. While we cannot give Bibles to students in schools, we can invite them into our churches and show them the Bible in practice. I hope that we, as members of the faith community, will funnel our energies in this positive direction, and help bring Christian principals off the page and into practice. In order for our children to fully understand the Bible, they must see us adults put it in action, not just in words. Now is the chance for all people of faith in Columbus County to do just that.

School-Version 2.0 - Athletics

2008-01-14T15:33:00.001-05:00

We’ve been talking lately about the changes taking place in education. We have talked a great deal about what goes on inside the classroom. Today I want to discuss the great work that goes on outside of the classroom through our athletics programs.

As most of you know, the South Columbus High School football team was recently crowned the North Carolina Eastern 2A Champions. It was a personal thrill to watch the team play in the finals at Carter-Finley stadium in Raleigh, and while they didn’t win, I think I speak for everyone in Columbus County when I say how very proud we are of Coach Price and his staff, as well as the administration, faculty and staff, and of course the players. Recently, baseball teams and basketball teams from West Columbus have played in state championships and have represented our county extremely well.

I personally feel that athletics play a vital role in our schools. Each year hundreds of students make vital connections between what takes place on the field or court, what takes place in the classroom, and what takes place in life. Involving a student in athletics is perhaps the most effective strategy we have to keep students in schools and to minimize discipline problems. Our coaches also provide our students with very important role models and allow students that struggle in the classroom an opportunity to experience success. We all know that when a child experiences success in SOMETHING, he/she is much more likely to me successful in EVERYTHING. The coaches in our county work tirelessly and selflessly, not just to win, but to help young men and women reach their full potential. I frequently hear from parents or fellow teachers about coaches going that extra mile. One parent told me about a coach that personally paid for basketball equipment for players whose parents couldn’t afford it. Every coach in our system makes great personal sacrifices for little or no pay, because they believe in the power of what they are doing. Our athletic teams, even those that don’t have many wins on the field or court, help to create many winners in life.

We are currently striving to expand our athletic programs. Soccer and volleyball have been added to middle school athletics. We continue to expand and enhance our high school athletic programs. We also realize the role that physical activity should play in the every day lives of our students. The Healthy Active Children Policy adopted by the State Board of Education requires all students in grades K-8 to engage in 30 minutes of vigorous exercise per day. Our curriculum coordinators have implemented across all areas “energizers”- short integrated activities that help add physical movement to academic classes. We also require that all classes have some built in physical activity, especially on the high school level.

Fifty years ago, athletics and physical activity were often treated as extras, separating student’s minds and bodies. We realize today, in order to educate the WHOLE child we must educate the minds AND the bodies of our students in an integrated and meaningful way.

Dropouts: Yesterday and Today

2007-12-12T14:55:00.001-05:00

The Associated Press recently released a report identifying "Dropout Factories"; high schools where less than 60% of the freshmen that enter, graduate in four years. The truth of the matter is dropout rates have maintained or even declined over the past several decades. This has not been accidental; state and local education agencies have made a concerted effort over the past twenty years to identify potential dropouts and provide them with resources to help them succeed. So why are we concerned?

Today, when a student walks out without a diploma, it is an indication of not only their failure but also our failure to instill in them the inspiration, motivation and perseverance required to complete rigorous studies. It is also an indication of the lack of emphasis local society places on a high school diploma. Thirty years ago a dropout had many opportunities to enter the workforce in jobs that required minimal skills and paid a living wage. A dropout today faces a job market that requires a worker to be highly skilled, able to work in teams, solve problems, and be highly productive. Today's dropout is almost guaranteed to live at or below the poverty level, requiring social services and public assistance.

Why do students drop out? At some point in time expectations for that child were lowered. Sometimes parents tell me: "I didn't need a diploma". Often times when students meet with difficulties, the path of least resistance is the path the student chooses- unless someone encourages another route. I spoke in an earlier article about the importance of community and faith-based organizations in our children's lives. If a family, a school, and a community will have high expectations then that child is almost assured of success.

The schools have a primary responsibility, however, to cultivate the expectation to succeed. There are obvious things that we as educators do to help. Each high school and feeder school has a Dropout Prevention Coordinator who identifies students "at risk" of dropping out of school. The Coordinators make home visits whenever a student has a substantial number of absences

We have social workers and school psychologists who help us identify difficult personal or environmental situations that often contribute to dropping out. We have an enforceable truancy policy and students are notified in writing when 3, 6 and 10 absences have been verified. We also have caring, dedicated guidance counselors who develop personal relationships with the students and continue to be our first line of defense in the war against dropouts.
In addition, we also prevent dropouts in other ways. Our athletic programs continue to expand in both middle and high school. This is crucial to many of our students because sports can keep them interested in academics, and our committed coaches provide constant counseling and motivation to all players on the "bubble". Our arts education programs and career/technical education programs provide students with motivating study and real world skills. Our JROTC programs provide discipline and leadership. If a child is actively involved and feels connected, the greater the likelihood that he/she will stay in school. By developing varied and interesting course offerings, and expanding extra-curricular opportunities, we hope that every student feels a sense of belonging at school.

Our schools are not “Drop out Factories”. There are not students streaming out of our schools without diplomas. But let’s ignore the numbers about dropouts, except for one and zero. If even one child fails to graduate, then society suffers and it will only be when the dropout rate is zero that we have had success. Until that happens we will continue to ensure that each child has every possible opportunity to graduate.

2007-11-15T13:40:00.000-05:00

School Version 2.0 – American Education Week

Last week was American Education Week, a time for celebrating the important work that our teachers and administrators carry out everyday. Education as we have all witnessed in our lifetimes, has changed a great deal. The demands placed on teachers and administrators have also changed, and continue to transform today; to be sure the future will bring about more change.

Our website has an archive section (http://www.columbus.k12.nc.us/archives.htm) that shows images of the past and includes a concise history of education in Columbus County from 1808 to 1977 (we are in the process of recording the history from 1977 to present). It is amazing to see the schools and educators from fifty, sixty or even a hundred years ago, striving to do then what we are still striving to do today: improve the quality of life of children through education.

In the early 1900’s, schools were heated by wood stoves, the “curriculum” consisted of mostly rote recitation with all grades in one or two rooms, and farmers were contracted to bring students to school on flatbed trailers, rain or shine! Teachers typically were unmarried with little home responsibilities, and the school year lasted around six months. There were no standardized tests, students were given the three R’s, and the focus was quite honestly on creating functioning citizens. A high school diploma was not commonplace, and most students achieved 6th grade educations at best. Principals during this time were typically father figures who were responsible for punishments and handing out pay and the like, but did not necessarily get involved in the day to day functioning of the classroom.
Fast forward to today, and the differences are mind-blowing. The vast majority of our students take EOC or EOG exams once or twice a year. Teachers (and principals) are held accountable for a vast array of test scores, are responsible for continuous professional growth through staff development and courses, deal with mountains of paperwork on a daily basis, and also must find ways to teach material many different ways in order to accommodate the different learning styles that have emerged. Teacher assistants can no longer sit at a desk and grade papers like they did a few decades ago, but must engage students in learning to the same degree the classroom teacher is engaging the students. At the end of day the majority of our teachers also go home to a family where they, in a sense, start their “second day”. Principals are no longer just the “head of the school” but rather function as the instructional leader. Principals are engaged WITH teachers in developing new ideas , and strategies- not just pointing out what is wrong. Principals have their primary focus on the quality of instruction, not just discipline. At the end of the day, they too go home, unless there is a ball game, or performance or an after-school activity. On my way home or out of town, I always see cars in the parking lot of our schools well after the final bell, as I do early in the morning before the first bell, often before first light. In my classroom walkthroughs I have observed over and over the great concern that all of our staff have for each aspect of their student’s lives. It is true that teachers and principals were dedicated in the early part of the last century, but in today’s society, we know so much more, not only about the world, but about how children learn- and I am awe-struck by how well our teachers, administrators and support staff adapt to the many changes that have and are taking place.

In this week of Thanksgiving, I guess our thoughts always turn toward reflection and thoughts of gratitude. Among the many blessings that our county shares are the men and women who enter our schools every day. They are the most important part of our school system, and are among the most important people in our children’s lives. Thanks for listening; I welcome your comments.

School Version 2.0 - Career/Technical

2007-10-31T14:02:00.001-04:00

Many of you read the great test results coming out of Columbus County Schools Career and Technical Education Program. Out of all the programs in the state, our CTE program ranks 5th with regards to test scores. It is truly a remarkable achievement for our teachers and especially our students.

Thirty years ago, vocational education as it was known then, meant basically some basic farming and “shop” classes and some “home ec”. Students were not tested in a standardized manner, and many vocational classes were suited for students who were looking to graduate from school and go to work with a limited set of skills. Today, our Career and Technical Education program offers a highly specialized training and rigorous curriculum. Our students can graduate with certification in Auto Mechanics, Computer Networking, Health Occupations, Early Childhood Development, and Food Safety. These nationally-recognized programs provide many students with the ability to enter specialized fields when they graduate, or prepares them to enter specialized technical schools; many of these students also go on to four year programs. Our CTE programs offer many other skills; our schools build houses from the ground up learning every aspect of construction, our horticulture programs combine modern science with the traditional agricultural practices of our local communities, and computer applications students learn extensive computer skills that will become necessary in any career in the future. The days of the traditional shop class are over; CTE students are now learning math, science and english within the context of courses that demonstrate how these concepts apply to the real world.

Why are these programs so successful? What does it tell us about students and learning?

I honestly believe that these programs have been successful because they are rigorous and relevant. Anyone who has been on a CTE classroom or read the questions on one of these exams can attest to the rigor that the CTE curriculum demands. These classes all involve students in active engagement using real, tangible examples that encourage intellectual connections. Exceptional children who enter our CTE programs have a mastery rate of almost 60%. If education is about interaction and connection, then no child is left behind. We are working toward the goal of making all students successful by providing them with more relevance, more hands-on activities and as a result, more engagement- in all classes.

The 21st century is an exciting time in education; we need not fear it. We must embrace the future by continuing to teach our students to think, interact and make connections. Our Career and Technical Education Programs are a great example of how we as educators can adapt from the traditional model of education to the new. It is an inspiration which will help propel all of us forward.

School Version 2.0 - Community Involvement

2007-10-31T13:59:00.000-04:00

There was a time, not long ago, when community involvement in schools meant bake sales at the PTA, and reverse raffles at football games. Schools were not really expected to be active members of the community, and a few interested people did most of the “volunteer” work at the school.

Times have indeed changed. Our schools rely heavily on the involvement of ALL members of the community, in order to best meet the needs of our children. The world in which we live in is full of challenges, and it requires teachers, principals, parents, business/community members, church members and mentors to help prepare our students for tomorrow’s world. Unlike the past, we must ensure that ALL students have access to college. A child that drops out of school in 2007 has a very bleak future; this should simply not be an option for any student. Research has shown that drop-outs cost hundreds of millions of dollars annually to our economy. We have many safeguards and support systems in place to prevent this from happening, but ultimately we rely on the student’s community to provide support. If all the adults in a child’s life expect success- then that success is almost assured.

In turn, our community relies on our schools to provide not only education, but training in specialized fields. (I’ll be speaking about this in a future article.) As our county continues to grow, and industry ponders establishments in Columbus County, the quality of education in the area could be a deal-maker or a deal-breaker. Most of these industries will not want someone that can just labor, but rather an employee that has critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Our approach to these challenges is simple: involve as many people from as many different areas as possible, and build partnerships with local business and commerce. I have formed Advisory Councils for parents, students, teachers, principals and business and industry. In these meetings, we have frank discussions about the direction of our schools. I rely heavily on these councils to determine the success of on-going programs and to determine the potential success of future programs.

We have also joined all chambers of commerce in the area. We work closely with the Economic Development Commission and the Committee of 100 as well as the Small Business Center of Southeastern Community College. In addition, we are partners with the North Carolina Museum of Forestry, Columbus Regional Healthcare System and International Paper. One of the first questions I ask when speaking with these groups is, “How can the schools help?” We then in turn use these responses to help guide our long- term improvement plans. Additionally, I am dedicated to meeting with any group that has concerns or simply wants information. I have an open door policy with all partners and the media.

I hope that each of you, whether you have children or not, will become involved in the lives of the young people in your community. In the past, the most important volunteer work happened in the school. We still need that involvement, but in the 21st century, we need volunteers in the churches, at the ball games and on the street, encouraging our students to succeed. In return, we pledge that our school system will listen and be responsive to the needs of the community and will supply our children with the skills they need to survive and flourish.

Thanks for listening; please feel free to comment on my blog at drstrickland.blogspot.com.

CTE Scores

2007-10-19T11:02:00.000-04:00

The growth of VOCATS scores in our Career/Technical Education has been phenomenal. At present our system ranks 5th in the state.

Here is our official press release. Keep up the good work!

**NEWS RELEASE**

COUNTY SCHOOLS CAREER-TECH TEST SCORES RANK
5TH IN THE STATE AND 1ST IN THE REGION

23 school systems make up the southeast region where the percentage of students performing at level III or above on end of course tests, range from 46.1% to Columbus County leading with 80.6%. Statewide the scores range from 37.5% TO 83.4%. Columbus County’s Career-Technical Education end-of-course test scores have increased a phenomenal 11.6% over last year resulting in an 18.6% increase in the past 6 years; significant enough to place Columbus County’s Career-Technical Education rank first in the Southeast Region and 5th in the State!
Keith Jefferys, Director of Career-Technical education said “Columbus County Career-Technical Education has been involved with end of course testing for the past 16 years; longer than any other program area. Results from the data have shown steady improvement every year since 2000. Teachers have utilized this data to improve the way students learn and the way information is delivered.” Career-Technical education offers credentialing in all program areas and our focused curriculum provides students a no-nonsense approach to their career aspirations. Students use up-to-date equipment in live-project simulations giving them practical application experience they can transfer to post-secondary education or work immediately after high school.
“Columbus County Career-Technical Education is committed to providing students a quality educational experience. We are proud to say that Career-Technical Education in Columbus County Schools continues to rank among the leaders by providing quality program choices to students”, Jefferys said. Jefferys went on to say, “Our professional teaching staff is well aware of the challenges our students will face in the highly competitive job market and they are prepared to help students reach their full potential. Our award winning College Tech Prep Programs prepare students to make a seamless transition from High School to the Community College and beyond.” Career-Technical Education foundation courses at the middle grade level provides students’ workplace readiness and work-skill basics in order to help them make wise decisions while choosing courses of study that will lead them down the pathway to a rewarding career. Competency-based courses are offered in five program areas, with each having school-based and work-based learning opportunities.
Dr. Dan Strickland, Superintendent stated “we have put a tremendous amount of effort into improving our Career-Technical education programs over the last fifteen years and the outcome is looking very bright. Our teachers have persevered through dedication and diligence. Our students have met the challenge and proven that they can excel.” Statewide data shows that proficiency levels range from 37.5% to 83.4% and Columbus County is among the leaders with 80.6% performing at level III or better. We are seeing steady increases each year. That being said, I am pleased we are moving in the right direction and look forward to continued student success in the years to come.
Superintendent Strickland said, “Career-Technical Education is an essential part of a student’s overall curriculum. Math, English, Science and Social Studies are all important academic skills and through our Career-Technical Education programs, students experience the rigor, relevance and relationships essential to the transference of those skills to employment.”
Dr. Strickland went on to say, “Career-Technical Education will play an important role in the new courses of study from the Department of Public Instruction and in the County’s Strategic Improvement Plan. We will continue to support and improve programs in order to provide students the best possible preparation for their career choice.” Columbus County’s Career-Technical Education programs serve over 3,500 students in grades 7-12 through 5 major program areas and 40+ course offerings.

School: Version 2.0

2007-10-19T10:59:00.000-04:00

Last time we talked, I mentioned to you about the changes that are occurring in our schools as we move forward in this century. Today I would like to discuss some examples of how times are changing and how that translates into the classroom.

Perhaps the most important initiative we have implemented here in Columbus County Schools is to shift our focus off of teachers and teaching and onto students and learning. If we pay close attention to the level of engagement of each child, we are assured of heading in the right direction. The straight rows and dusty chalkboards of the past are giving way to desks in circles and computer screens. If we are to prepare our students for the future, our classrooms must change in structure and substance. We are asking our teachers to make student engagement their top priority by using more hands-on, relevant learning activities. In order to accurately track this level of engagement, each one of our principals conduct frequent “walkthroughs” using a handheld computer. The principal does not focus on what the teacher is doing (the old way) but focuses instead on what the student is doing. This information is uploaded to a central computer where the principal, myself and others can view trends occurring in all classrooms, and make adjustments accordingly. Our central office staff assists the principal by participating in these walkthroughs and offering outside perspectives. The ultimate goal is to raise the level of engagement of each individual student, and thereby raising the overall achievement of each individual student.

Of course measuring engagement itself does not give the entire picture. The students must be assessed individually to determine the level of achievement. This cannot happen just a few times a year. It must be ongoing, and must give the teachers (and parents) the data they need to focus on areas of weaknesses. In grades 3-8, every child is benchmarked at several points throughout the year using web-based testing software. This software provides the information needed to tailor instruction to meet every child’s need. It also gives our parents a specific record of progress and helps guide their efforts in preparing their children for end-of-course tests. We are currently developing benchmarks in grades 9-12; because of the complexity the high school curriculum this will be an ongoing process, but one to which we are fully committed.

I look forward to continued discussions with you as I share the good news coming from our school system. Feel free to comment at drstrickland.blogspot.com, or contact me directly.

Trip to China

2007-09-23T22:27:00.000-04:00

Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to be selected as a member of the Chinese Bridge Delegation, a group of superintendents from across the country who traveled to China to view the cultural and educational aspects of China. One of the things that stuck with me as I traveled back to the states is how well China is doing with education. Most of their students are very aware of other cultures and many speak very fluent English. It is clear if we are to compete with China on the global stage, we must focus on making our children competitive by giving the same exposure to other cultures as students in China receive. In short we must strive to teach our children how to survive in a world that is becoming more and more diverse as technology shrinks the distances between cultures.

Below is the press release about my participation. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to China, and I feel that the lessons I learned there so many thousands of miles away will serve me here in Columbus County.

Destination China: Local Educator Among 50 Nationwide Superintendents to Gain Firsthand Knowledge of the People’s Republic of China With Summer Tour Program Seeks to Build, Expand Chinese Foreign Language Programs in Local U.S. Schools

Columbus County, North Carolina—Dr. Dan Strickland, Superintendent of Columbus County Schools is one of 50 nationwide superintendents who will travel to China for a one-week tour in an effort to build and expand Chinese language programs in U.S. schools. In its second year, the Chinese Bridge Delegation aims to expose school decision-makers to the rich history and culture of a country whose language is the most widely spoken in the world. Ultimately, the sponsors who take part in this program aspire to foster a better understanding of Chinese culture and fluency in the language among U.S. students. With more than 800 delegates scheduled for this year’s trip, set for June 24 through July 2, participation has doubled since last year. A variety of educators, including teachers, administrators and language coordinators, will begin their tour in Beijing and then travel to other cities and provinces where they will meet with local education commissions. Participants will have an opportunity to talk with Chinese education leaders, build sister schools and network with other U.S. educators who are working toward the same goal of offering Chinese language programs to their students. “We hope this program will eventually help to offer more students in our country the opportunity to become fluent in the most widely spoken language in the world,” said College Board President Gaston Caperton. “We’re building a bridge that will aid in strengthening our ties, our future economic partnerships and our appreciation of our respective cultures.” Beyond cultural enrichment, the trip will also provide incentives and strategies for educators to return to the United States better equipped to support the growth of Chinese language and culture programs in their own districts. Chinese is the national language of the more than 1.3 billion inhabitants of China and millions more ethnic Chinese around the world. While more than 200 million Chinese schoolchildren are studying English—often begun as early as the second grade—experts estimate no more than 50,000 U.S. students are studying Chinese. As stated by Dr. Strickland, “both the motto, “Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s World” and the mission statement for Columbus County Schools, “to instill in students the academic and social skills essential for responsible and productive citizenship in a global society,” are aligned with the North Carolina strategic goal for preparing students for the 21 century in a global society and are reflective of our commitment to promote global awareness. In order to adequately prepare our students for work in a global society, it is imperative to not only educate our students with skills and knowledge, but nurture an appreciation for diversity. Promoting cultural awareness and implementing character education initiatives are basic steps in this process which have been incorporated throughout our district. We are interested in finding additional strategies to future enhance our efforts.” Dr. Strickland also stated “Although we are located in a rural setting which has traditionally reflected little ethnic diversity, we are beginning to see a change in this trend. Currently, we have several Chinese families residing in our communities, a growing Hispanic population as well as a small percentage of other ethnic groups. Mandarin Chinese is the fastest growing language in the world and will be offered this year though the Virtual High School program. Perhaps a Chinese language program would enhance our efforts in preparing all the children in our district for life in a global society. The Chinese Bridge Delegation is sponsored funded by Hanban, China’s Office of Chinese Language Council International, in partnership with the College Board, the Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools, the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages, the National Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages and Chinese Consulates in the United States. In April 2006, the College Board and Hanban announced the formation of a partnership to build and expand Chinese language programs in U.S. schools. In addition to the Chinese Bridge Delegation, the partnership features other programs intended to help educators promote Chinese language and culture programs. For more information about these programs, visit www.collegeboard.com/k12chinese. Established by the Chinese government in 1987, Hanban is China’s official agency authorized to promote Chinese language and culture internationally, fulfilling a function similar to that of both the United Kingdom’s British Council and France’s Alliance Française.

School: Version 2.0

2007-09-14T16:35:00.000-04:00

In many ways, the start of school is the same as it has always been; students enter freshly painted hallways eager to find out what awaits them in the days, weeks and months ahead. From the earliest public schools, to the schools of today, little has changed about the first day of school. On the other hand, what happens in the next 179 days is dramatically different than what previous generations have experienced. It has been said that the 20^th century was the “information age,” and that more knowledge was gained in the past 100 years than in the history of mankind; this expanding knowledge has gained in momentum to the point where our knowledge base is increasing geometrically, doubling every 5 years. That means the world of today’s kindergartners, the class of 2020, will have 400% more information than we have today. In the past, education was about learning information; today and in the future, education will be about what one does with the information they learn. We no longer live in the age of information, but rather we live in the age of ideas- where information is linked together to create new concepts. It is impossible for the students of today to learn all there is to know because knowledge is being acquired at such a high rate. Instead, we must teach our students how to think – so that the information they deal with in their careers and their lives can be processed. In order to prepare our children, we must ensure that our teaching methods allow students to engage their minds in meaningful, complex ways, and that learning occurs not when a fact is learned but rather when a mind is engaged.

Over the coming weeks, I will share with you examples of how our school system is applying “Version 2.0” concepts throughout our schools in order to increase student understanding and engagement.

As always, thank you for support of our school system.

Two Students from West Columbus win National Awards

2007-06-20T16:24:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Tiffany Britt and Morgan Walker who recently received National Scholastic Art Awards at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Their artwork was chosen from over 100,000 entries. Their teacher is Mr. Larry Hewett. We are very proud of you!

Superintendent's Blog!

2007-06-18T22:27:00.000-04:00

We at Columbus County Schools are constantly looking for ways to enhance the very important relationship between our school system and its stakeholders. This blog provides a forum for anyone to comment or ask questions. We encourage you to use this or any other forum to communicate with us; we pledge to be receptive to all ideas and concerns.

Closing of the school year

2007-06-14T17:14:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for a wonderful close to the school year. While we did not meet all of our goals, we are definitely moving in the right direction. Our commitment to focused staff development paid off in many areas, and we look towards next year as we begin to see even more results of your hard work.

I hope that this summer will allow you time to reflect, relax and recharge.

I look forward to seeing you at our convocation on August 22nd as we continue to prepare today's students for tomorrow's world.