CAPE SCHOOL LEADERS TO TALK DIVERSITY

Cape Girardeau school administrators will hear what several Central High School graduates have to say about their experiences in the district during a panel discussion later this month.

About six graduates are scheduled to appear in a panel discussion before the district's building and central office administrators Sept. 19. The panel of minority students will detail their positive and negative experiences as students.

Schools Superintendent Dr. Dan Steska said the event was developed out of the Teen Summit 2000 Youth Conference held April 22 at the Salvation Army. The summit developed out of the Community Leadership Group, an organization formed to address the needs of the community, particularly in South Cape.

"Basically the intent is to be sensitive and receptive to any concerns that were being expressed by students or parents," said Steska.

The meeting also will continue efforts at diversity training for administrators, Steska said, In June, Dr. Kimberly Barrett, former Dean of Students at Southeast Missouri State University, spoke to administrators about diversity appreciation.

"One of the purposes was to make sure our administrators were sensitive of any diversity issues," said Steska. "I think to not address people's concerns in any way is not positive for anyone. I'm just trying to be proactive so that people do realize they're being heard."

The panel will discuss a number of topics, including what it was like to attend Cape Girardeau schools, how they perceived relationships with teachers and administrators, their involvement in extra-curricular activities, and parental involvement. Steska and Cape Girardeau resident Scott Porter will serve as moderators for the meeting.

Steska said graduates were selected as panel members rather than current students to ensure an open discussion of issues and concerns. Although administrators will likely hear what they've been doing wrong, Steska said he asked Porter to select people who would represent "kids in a good cross section of activities and those who didn't have good experiences because they didn't feel a part of the process."

The meeting, scheduled for 9:45 a.m. at the Board of Education office, 61 N. Clark, will be open to the public. However, Steska said the panel will do most of the talking during the discussion.

Marge Sullivan, director of the Missouri Mentoring Partnership administered by the Workforce Investment Board, plans to attend the meeting. The Missouri Mentoring Partnership is a state program that builds job readiness skills in people 16 to 22. A majority of the 86 youth from Scott and Cape Girardeau counties involved in the program live in Cape Girardeau.

Sullivan said she has heard both positive and negative experiences from the mentoring program's participants, which includes youth from all backgrounds. By attending the meeting, she said she hopes to share what she's heard from students and gain insight that might improve her program's service delivery.

"Kids can be very candid about their experiences, both positive and negative," she said. "I think it can only serve to better everybody's understanding. I whole-heartedly applaud it."