FIRST MEETING HELD ON SCHOOL DIRECTIONS

Laura Ritter wants to be sure her daughter gets the best education possible, so she attended a meeting Tuesday night to share her ideas about what Cape Girardeau needs to do about its public schools.

Ritter, whose daughter attends Franklin Elementary School, was among 34 people who attended the first community meeting held by the Vision Planning Committee of Cape Girardeau public schools.

The meetings are designed to solicit from people their ideas about what direction the school district should head.

"My daughter is a first-grader," Ritter explained. "I know she is young, but I'm still concerned. I think Cape Girardeau has quality schools. I want to be certain that quality is maintained."

People attending the meeting were divided into small groups and asked to list ideas for improving the school district. The groups then ranked the top five priorities from the list.

A similar procedure will be followed at all the meetings, said Melvin Gateley of Vision 2000, a community betternment organization that is helping direct the school meetings. Each is open to anyone in the school district.

Suggestions to improve vocational education and career planning and school-to-work skills were among ideas generated Tuesday night.

Participants also suggested ways to link parents more closely with the school system.

Ritter said, "Education is the foundation for the rest of your life. There is nothing more important than being involved in your child's education."

The group saw a need for improving basic skills, especially reading and writing. They also wanted students to have access to computers and a chance to learn how technology is used in the workplace.

Bob Komorech, a parent, said schools need to offer every child access to computers. Often only certain groups of students have a chance to work with computers. He also suggested that computer labs might be open in the evenings for students to use for homework.

Improving student discipline, lengthening school days and school years, increasing graduation requirements, reducing class size, and developing a boot camp-style alternative school for potential high school dropouts were suggested.

Nine community meetings, three staff meetings and three teacher meetings were scheduled. Ideas generated at the meeting will go to researchers who will compile statistics on school district priorities.

On Nov. 7 a town hall meeting will be held at Central High School to announce the priorities. The list will be forwarded to Cape Girardeau's Board of Education for use in developing a five-year strategic plan.