Education focus of local workshop

Nearly 40 people gathered last Saturday in Anna to share input on the future of education in Union County.

Representatives of nearly all of Union County's seven public school districts took part in a day-long education workshop.

School teachers, administrators, board of education representatives and community members were among those who attended the workshop.

The workshop was held at Shawnee Community College's Anna Extension Center.

Saturday's event was hosted by a Union County group called Concerned Citizens for Education.

Members of the community who are playing key roles in the group include retired school administrator Leon Russell, longtime school board member Don Choate and retired planner Dave Shaffer. Shaffer welcomed those who came to the workshop.

"This is a grassroots movement," Shaffer said. "We're trying to develop a consensus about what we can do do as a community" for the long-term improvement of education in Union County, he said.

"We're not here to promote consolidation," Shaffer emphasized. And, he said, "there is no interest to eliminate any schools."

Instead of consolidation, Shaffer said the group is working to promote cooperation among Union County's school districts.

"If we can sit down together as a community, we can create a vision for education," he said.

He suggested that those who care about education will need to focus their attention on such issues as state funding – or the lack of it – and technology.

Guest speakers at the workshop included:

•Janet Ulrich, the regional superintendent of education for Union, Alexander, Johnson, Massac and Pulaski counties. Ulrich focused on "Where is education in Union County today?" and "Where should education be in the future?"

•Carroll Walker from the Center for Teaching Excellence at Southern Illinois University, whose topic was "Education and Technology Now and in the Future."

•Lynn Haeffel, education aide to Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, who focused on "Classrooms First, Illinois  Pathways Initiative and how Union County can utilize these programs."

Regional superintendent Ulrich was grateful to see a good turnout for the workshop, noting that those who were present "have a passion for education." Ulrich said she wants to make sure that Union County can offer the best education possible for students in the community.

Ulrich opened her presentation by asking those at the workshop to consider some of the strengths of education in Union County.

Strengths that were identified include community support, caring staff members at the schools, a solid infrastructure and a quality learning environment.

The agenda for the workshop called for the guest speakers to make their presentations during the morning.

Breakout sessions for workshop participants were scheduled in the afternoon.

Topics for the breakout sessions included:

•Education now and what it should be in the future, with the focus on general education, vocational/career education and special needs education.

•Administration, teachers, operations and finances, including the identification of associated issues.

•Setting a direction for education in the future.

The agenda called for the workshop to wrap up with a full discussion to review the results of the event and to identify a common direction and the means of moving the new direction forward.

Concerned Citizens for Education member Dave Shaffer said organizers were pleased with the outcome. The group sees Saturday's workshop as laying the groundwork for further discussion.