Neil Glass, Tim Garner discuss education before Cape Chamber

The men leading two prominent school systems in Cape Girardeau County agree the business community can help students find their place in today's working world -- a world where there doesn't seem to be enough takers for available jobs.

Neil Glass, superintendent of Cape Girardeau Public Schools, and Tim Garner, principal of Notre Dame Regional High School, participated in a question-and-answer forum at Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce's October First Friday Coffee at Century Casino Event Center.

"Some kids don't come back to our area because they don't know what's here for them," said Glass, who is in his sixth year as Cape superintendent.

Glass asked businesspersons in attendance to put together a short video of their careers.

"Please make a one- or two-minute video that we could have in our library that would help our students know (what jobs) are out there."

Tim Garner

Garner, who is in his fourth year leading the Roman Catholic school for grades nine through 12 drawing students from southeast Missouri and southern Illinois, talked of "necessary" work NDRHS graduates and others might consider as a career path.

"Skilled labor, working with your hands, is a need in the community, and more students are seeing this," he said.

Both leaders agreed the COVID-19 pandemic changed the dynamics of interpersonal interaction.

"it was painful to have to kick the community out of our schools so we could operate during that time," said Glass, who leads a district with 4,200 students. "We want you back in our buildings, we want Read to Succeed back, we want Junior Achievement back. It truly does take a village."

"(The pandemic) sped up everything," said Garner. "We've had to enhance learning through digital means and students and faculty have adapted. This is a generation who can problem solve."

Scott Smith, Jackson School District superintendent, was unable to attend the forum due to another commitment.

Cape Chamber's Nov. 4 First Friday Coffee will feature some of the 57 not-for-profit Chamber members in one of CGACOC's periodic "members on the microphone" sessions, according to Chamber president and CEO Rob Gilligan.