A new Cape Girardeau public schools committee hopes to see a lot of new, older faces at school activities this coming year.
The committee is inviting senior citizens to take part in school events, like football games, plays and concerts, and eventually hopes to organize a classroom volunteer program.
Col. Jack Grisham, retired army officer and retired Central High School teacher, along with Libby Roeger, Alma Schrader parent and university professor, are heading the committee. The committee is an offshoot of the Board of Education's community relations committee.
"So many people as they get older seem to divorce themselves from the school," Grisham said. "They don't realize that they are still part of the district. What we hope to do is to make the senior citizens aware that they are a crucial part of educating our kids."
Roeger said, "The idea is for the school district to get senior citizens involved in the school district, to let them enjoy the benefits of the school, and, to be quite frank, to see the needs."
The committee is considering a theme for the school year of "Won't you come home to Cape Girardeau."
Grisham said plans are under way to talk with seniors at the nutrition center, Chateau Girardeau and the Missouri Veteran's home, among other locations and invite them to participate in the senior citizen's program.
"Initially we want to make them welcome at high school activities," Grisham said.
Grisham said a "Gold Card" idea is in the works. The card would allow senior citizens free or reduced admission to school sporting events, plays and concerts.
Roeger said, "My hope is that we'll get this started by the end of September or the beginning of October. I would like to get them into a football game."
The chairmen hope the program will evolve into a senior volunteer program.
"Eventually we hope these folks will volunteer their talents," Grisham said. "Hopefully we will be able to get a core of senior volunteers to sit down with these kids one on one and help them.
Roeger said: "There is such a need for volunteers with the (budget) cutbacks. There are a few volunteers in the district already. But there is no easy way for them to get into the system.
Roeger said full-fledged volunteer program will require some training and a coordinator.
"But we hope that we can start an adopt-a-grandparent program in the classroom," she said. "The children can really benefit from their experiences and backgrounds."
She said volunteers can listen to children read.
Grisham said, "We are aware there are some great talents out there."
For example, last year, a Central High School history teacher asked four World War II and Korean veterans to speak to her students about their experiences in the wars.
"The kids were very receptive," said Grisham, who was one of the speakers. "Maybe teachers don't realize we veterans like to talk about our experiences."
Roeger said the district is also looking at sending programs from the schools to the senior centers.
"I would like to see the home ec. classes bake cookies and the kids send letters," she said.
"This should grow into something big that will be helpful to school district and the senior citizens," said Grisham.
Roeger agreed. "I think this can be a wonderful thing for this district and wonderful for everyone in Cape. Senior citizens have so much to offer," she said.
Grisham said: "I think sometimes we senior citizens forget we have an obligation to the kids of this community to ensure they are educated properly.
"It's not just teachers and administers, we people are responsible for educating our kids," Grisham said.
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