Superintendent attends education event

Missouri State Representative Wayne Wallingford, at right, joined Dr. Jim Welker, Superintendent of Cape Girardeau Public School District, to discuss education issues at an event sponsored by the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) in Jefferson City.

Roger Kurtz, Executive Director of MASA, shared a summary copy of the recent Missouri Public Education Vision Project which was a joint effort of MASA and the Missouri School Boards' Association. The 18-month project involved over 120 school board members and school administrators. The goal of the project was to critically examine the components of the current educational system and to suggest changes to meet the needs of 21st century learners. The report was divided into seven areas of concentration and included 44 recommendations to improve public education in Missouri. A complete copy of the report can be viewed on the website established for the project at www.visionformopublicschools.org.

C. J. Huff, Superintendent of the Joplin School District, also reported on the district's recovery efforts following the May 2011 tornado that destroyed many of the district's facilities. The Joplin School District also shared information on its Bright Futures Program which allows communities and schools to identify student needs and match those needs with existing resources in each community.

Eric Churchwell, MASA President and Superintendent of the Palmyra R-1 School District, said "We truly appreciate the time the legislators took to join us for this dinner. We believe it is extremely important that our legislators fully understand the issues facing public education and that we work together to solve these issues."