With each passing week in education, the more convinced I am that student learning must be richly influenced by professionals, business leaders and skilled workers from outside the school.
In other words, effective lessons cannot exist in an academic vacuum. The most powerful learning must have connections, relevance and usefulness with the world of work and business.
That is the main reason why area business partners are working alongside teachers in Jefferson City High School academies.
In fact, business leaders on steering committees for each of the seven JCHS academies will again provide guidance and feedback when they meet on Monday evening, Feb. 23 at the JCHS cafeteria.
This is not something done only in Jefferson City; many school districts throughout the country have found that there is great benefit to forging alliances with the communities in which they exist.
The region of Northwest Arkansas (which I visit occasionally because my son attends college there) has become an economically vibrant region that is now home to 505,000 people.
I've talked to individuals there and was fascinated to learn that the schools (in Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, and Fayetteville) are doing many of the same things we are doing in Jefferson City.
And the business world of that region supports the effort.
The Northwest Arkansas Council, in conjunction with area chapters of the Chamber of Commerce, has a plan for economic development that calls for, among other things, the development of a better work force. (You can see the plan at nwacouncil.org).
The plan stated on page 16 that there is "a consistent request from the business community ... for a great supply of better-trained workers."
On the same page it called for strong leadership on this issue from "elected officials, business leaders, and education and workforce development organizations."
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported on Jan. 28 that the plan called for "better equipping high school and college graduates for jobs that are in demand in the region."
At a business forecast lunch at Fayetteville, Ark. on Jan. 30, Kathy Deck, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas reported that employers can't find workers with skills needed. She added that schools will need to begin teaching those skills (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Jan. 31).
To do that, it is extremely important to listen to members of the business community. As teachers develop meaningful student learning opportunities, they need the perspective and expertise that business leaders can provide.
This is a universal reality; it's not something that is needed only in Central Missouri or in Northwest Arkansas.
A few years ago, in November of 2012, several from Jefferson City visited high schools in the Nashville area and we learned a lot about establishing high school academies and the importance of having a productive dialogue between businesses and schools.
One principal said to make learning in academies work you have to have some "heavy hitters" from the community. One of the heavy hitters in Nashville is Country Music Television (CMT). Their involvement in The Academies of Nashville has been invaluable.
In Northwest Arkansas, the heavy hitters are individuals from the corporate offices of Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Tyson Foods, and JB Hunt, among others.
Who will be the heavy hitters in Jefferson City? Many have stepped up to the plate and have provided extremely valuable input to improve student learning. This trend must continue, because quite simply, we are just getting started and there is much worthwhile work yet to be done.
David Wilson, EdD, is the associate principal at Jefferson City High School. You may e-mail him at [email protected].