Members of the community joined La Porte Mayor Blair Milo, Superintendent of La Porte Schools, Mark Francesconi, Executive Director of GLEDC (Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation), Bert Cook, and President of the Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce, Mike Seitz, in a meeting on Tuesday to discuss initiatives of the La Porte Community School Corporation and how to further students' opportunities.
The La Porte Community School Corporation envisions a future of students who are not only college ready, but career ready as well. On Tuesday, a Business and Education Engagement Campaign at the La Porte City Hall was introduced, welcoming all community members together, encouraging them to help La Porte expand its career goals by engaging La Porte's businesses in K-12 career and technical educational experiences.
"We see this as an opportunity for both our employers as well as the schools. The end goal is making sure our students are equipped to be successful in a career field or in a follow-on academic institution beyond high school," Milo said.
The City of La Porte, GLEDC and the La Porte Greater Chamber of Commerce have come together in support of the school corporation's goals to shift the focus of individualizing each student, analyzing not only their strengths, but also their weaknesses. This will allow students' futures to be filled with opportunities and will allow them to pursue a career that is manageable for them, but is also something they would love to do for the rest of their lives.
In the educational system today, topics such as graduation requirements, diploma options and grading systems have the ability to impair a student's thinking that the only way one can be successful is if they attend college and earn a degree. Since it is known this is not the case, La Porte Community School Corporation anticipates more relationships and partnerships with businesses from within the area to allow students to get an inside look at all of the career opportunities that would be available to them after graduation.
"Although the state is still grading schools based on how many kids go to college and are prepared to go to college, we are beginning to see some of the processes beginning to line up with the governor as well as the new college and career ready standards we are dealing with this year. The timing is right, and we are realizing that we want to regroup with our plans. The end result of these efforts will not necessarily today be shown today - it is a long term commitment, but we want to continue to look at our processes as to how we can start being strategic with our partnerships. This will help our community grow a better and stronger work force as well," Francesconi said.
Instead of going throughout the entire educational process not knowing what to study after high school, the school corporation is in the midst of setting up what is referred to as "clusters," which include areas of study such as agriculture, business and marketing, transportation and hospitality and human services that set certain pathways to possible careers. These clusters give students an idea of what career opportunities are out there, and show them the pathway which will lead them to the career of their choice.
Several ideas were passed around the room tonight, including the opportunities to host field trips for counselors or teachers of every grade level, to have students participate in weekly businesses showcases at La Porte High School or to even to have local businesses establish a co-op with the school corporation where students would work part-time and also receive pay and/or school credit.
It will take hard work and dedication for the corporation to excel even further and reach its full potential, but one of the main initiatives the campaign will have to focus on is its communication between educators and those in businesses.
"In our discussion with the business community, we hear of a variety of things of all similar nature, but one of the key points is not only the dialogue with the students, but also with the teachers and counselors - the people who are going to be educating the students on a regular basis. The communication that needs to exist with the business community and our educational leaders is something that if it improves, it could have an overall impact on the end product," Cook said.
In addition to involving students in local businesses, Francesconi looks forward to expanding programs such as increasing vocational offerings to students so they can better meet the needs of local businesses who want skilled workers, and bringing in an outside firm to conduct a feasibility study at schools throughout the corporation.
Currently, the administration is working with the school board to start to prepare long-term in a feasibility study. The school administration is in the process of working in conjunction with an outside firm to come in and look at the schools' facilities and the programs they all currently have and would make suggestions based on what programs would need to be added to benefit students.
Although there are already programs in place such as the A.K. Smith Program and Building and Trades, the corporation hopes to expand its horizons by broadening the opportunities available to students interested in careers that are on all ends of the spectrum.
In due time, these ideas will be transformed into programs at all LaPorte schools from K-12. Mayor Blair Milo, Mark Francesconi, Mike Seitz and Bert Cook are welcoming any suggestions from the public and are willing to consider them in the process.
It takes a whole village to raise one child, and it will take a community that is willing to learn, work, and try hard to be a part of the learning and success of La Porte Community School Corporation's students.