New Cape superintendent speaks about student hunger, poverty

Caring, competent teachers backed by top-notch facilities are key factors in the education of students.

However, a grumbling stomach can trump all in the quest to expand minds. Hunger can stunt growth in more ways than one.

It's the sort of matter Cape Girardeau public schools superintendent Neil Glass has prioritized since assuming his position July 1. Glass is focusing on a team approach in addressing the student experience as he sets about the process of overseeing the education of the next generation.

Glass said student poverty is one of the main challenges facing the education of students, citing the fact of 65 percent of the students in the district are on the free and reduced lunch program. Glass has been with the district for nine years as assistant superintendent and spent his career in education, and he's aware of the fundamental parameters needed for learning to take place. Abraham Maslow's theory on learning says food, sleep, good health, a safe place, feelings of belonging, affection and self esteem are all needed, with the first three on the bottom tier of the pyramid. Less clinical, those elements translate to breakfast and lunch, hospitable hallways, involvement with teams and clubs as well as school spirit. It's all pointed to achieving individual potential, which translates into a professional career and a citizen who can be a productive part of society.

Glass wants to reduce and remove barriers to learning, making sure the student experience is positive and conducive to learning.

"That is really what I see us as a team doing, moving forward -- meeting those basic needs first, then let's educate them," Glass said. "We want kids to know they can come to us, have a safe place here and know they can be themselves and can learn and have a lot of support."

Every school system has students with needs at varying levels of the learning pyramid, and with nearly 4,000 students in pre-K through 12 in the Cape Girardeau school district last year school year, the challenges are complex. Some can be best addressed financially, others through district personnel and some require the help of volunteers.

Education is a community effort, and Glass is wisely embracing the all-hands-on-deck approach. He cited the network of players it takes to meet basic needs and educate: parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, nurses and social workers. People in that network also need assistance from each other, and Glass has promised to do his best to remove obstacles members of the team encounter.

He's underscored the value of local organizations, citing the likes of the United Way and Big Brothers Big Sisters as invaluable partners in the effort to lay the basic framework.

A superintendent is in need of seeing the big picture and the scope of problems and tools at his disposal to tackle them. As they always do, troubles will arise during Glass' tenure, but it appears his focus is on making sure there is a strong foundation and assistance at every level.