When I first became a school board member, I was fortunate to listen to a speaker that, paraphrased, said “ In a good school, if child is absent, he or she should be missed”. To me, the meaning is clear. We should not process youth in school  like products on an assembly line, losing contact with the individuality of that student. We should not push, cookie-cutter style, our young people through the education system as if they are all the same, and do not allow for the unique character strengths, interests and frailties of the person. We do not want a collage of graduates that are all oriented in the same direction, as if we are trying to teach snakes to fly, birds to burrow and rabbits to crawl. We should be recognizing the value in each child, finding innovative and effective ways to draw out that student’s enthusiasm for learning, and helping him or her shape his or her life in a creative and productive fashion, using the best resources that are available to us to accomplish that task. In a good school, the individual will never be lost, and immediately missed if he or she strays.

Those initial words that I heard many years ago continue to guide the decisions I make today. We need to ensure that every child is an important child with unique abilities and talents. I want to continue to find the best possible solutions for our community’s educational needs. This blog will feature my ideas and your ideas. I encourage your input.

 Email me directly at csarbit1@gmail.com or provide your feedback, ideas and comments directly in the comments section of this blog.