Document text
Leaders target schools, economy Partnership helps both, all agree By VICKI GUARINO Local business leaders, educators and students are trying to figure out how to reshape school curriculum to improve job opportunities. The Business-Education Summit 2000, which concludes today at Rogue Valley Manor, is intended to lead to improvements in education and the local economy. The event, coordinated by the Jackson Education Service District and the Chamber of Medford/Jackson County, has drawn more than 50 participants from classrooms and offices. The session marks the end of a five-year, $1.7 million federally funded program to ease students' transition from school to work or further career training. As the money runs out, employers and educators are looking for ways to continue and, they hope, improve on what has been done, said ESD Professional Technical Education program coordinator Mike Van De Walker. "We're looking for sustainability now that the grant is ending," said Van De Walker. Medford schools, for example, have incorporated employability traits such as honesty and dependability into their curriculum. Other schools have added career training. "We're trying to figure out the next step," said ESD career education specialist Martha Murphy. "Where do we go from here?" Each of the three camps participating in the two-day summit -- employers, educators and students -- see ways to benefit from the effort. The biggest concern, the summit group agreed, was students' belief that they must leave the Rogue Valley for education, training and high-value careers. Most participants said the best and the brightest young adults are leaving. Many at the summit -- and nearly all of the business representatives attending -- said the exodus only further discourages new companies from locating here. Employers largely agreed that the region is losing out on business growth opportunities because of an inadequate work force. Employers, such as Bear Creek Corp.'s education director Debra Ponzoha, said cooperation between schools and businesses helps fulfill the need for skilled and serious-minded employees. "We need people who are ready for work, ready for training ... ready for life and for whatever commitments they're going to make," Ponzoha said during a luncheon discussion. Educators such as McLoughlin Middle School Principal Doug McKenzie said businesses can give meaning to students' classroom efforts. The business world can show students the importance of learning geometry and scoring well on writing tests. Motivating students by showing them their efforts are important has become more crucial to educators with the increasing demands of state school reforms and the standardized testing leading to the high school CIM (Certificate of Initial Mastery), McKenzie said. A key goal of the school-to-work effort is to show students the relevance of education by better connecting school and work. Educators hope to decrease the dropout rate and get more graduates to continue their education beyond high school. Murphy said the program is important for all students, not just those who aren't expecting to go to college: the school-to-work curriculum helps students focus on their future. "We even see people graduating from college with no idea of how they are going to support themselves," Murphy said. "Those kids need to have an idea of where they are going." Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA