Where are we headed? I often ask myself that question to ensure
that I am staying on track. Without a goal in mind, it is easy
to slip off into areas that may seem important, but take us from
achieving our goal.
So, what is our goal? Long-range, our goal is two-fold: 1) to
make sure each child graduates on time; and 2) to make sure that
each child takes with him or her the skills necessary to be
successful, whether that is to further his or her education or
entering the job market.
The more difficult question is, “How do we do that?” Well, we do
that in several ways. We provide programs that, both, interest
students and meet the academic requirements. We provide
opportunities to keep students moving forward, even when they
make mistakes. We also work to make sure parents are aware and
up-to-date on what we offer their children. We want to offer you
information on what works—what works based upon our experience,
what research has demonstrated in education, and our experience
with how your child learns.
One of the things that we do is to challenge our students. By
that, I do not mean that we push them beyond their ability to
achieve, but that we encourage them to work to the best of their
capabilities. Unlike just 20 years ago, our students are
not in competition with students in Clifton Park, Massachusetts,
or any other local community or state. Instead, our students are
members of the 21st Century—they must compete with students in
Europe, China, India, and the rest of the world. Today's
workplace is part of a global economy. Fonda-Fultonville Central
School is doing what we can to ensure that what we teach best
prepares our children for this new and competitive world.
On our first day back to school, we shared a video that
demonstrates the point I shared above. "Shift Happens"
carries a powerful and important message that we all must
understand. Mr. Halloran shared it with our high school
students, because he also saw the power in its message. If you
click on the screen directly below, you can see watch the video.
I welcome your feedback on its message.
Our goal is that we are prepare children for the world they will
face in the future, not a world that their parents and
grandparents faced. It is critical for the success of our
children, our community, and our country that we work toward
this goal, and we hope to have your support as we move forward.
