Scottsbluff Public Schools Superintendent, Rick Myles, published a piece in about the goals of the district for the upcoming year. A few of the notable ones include:

1.  Early College and Advanced Placement, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and Dual Credit Classes: All students will attain credit through meaningful learning opportunities that provide multiple post-graduate options.
2. Alternative high school programming: Students will have multiple pathways to high school graduation, depending on their goals, their preferred mode of learning, and their individual needs and circumstances.
3. Evaluation system: As one of sixteen districts in the State participating in the Nebraska Evaluation Pilot, teachers and administrators will work together to develop meaningful processes and procedures that will monitor and inspire quality educator performance.

There are more goals, and if you want to read the entire list you can check out his .

There are some great aspects to what Myles is saying that make us especially excited and inspired for the upcoming school year. For one, an understanding of the needs and emphasis on STEM skills is of course wonderful, considering the skills gap issue in America today. Preparing Nebraskans from K-12 with strong skills in those areas will be an invaluable tool for them later on when looking for a career.

In terms of alternative high school programming, it’s exciting to see the school district taking into account that not all students have the same strengths and that their curriculums can be different, while still preparing them for eventual graduation. There are so many different ways of learning and individual circumstances can truly affect the rate or potential of graduation. We believe that any student struggling in school should have the power to find a way that’s best for them to achieve.

And finally, no matter how you learn or what level of education you’ve achieved, inspiring teachers to truly be passionate about teaching students the skills they need to survive is a wonderful goal. Feedback, both positive and negative, is integral to the learning process.

There are more resources than ever for teachers who want to teach STEM skills and manufacturing education, as well as students interested in learning more about it. Four-year degrees are absolutely important to closing the skills gap, but not all paths to education are the same. Two-year colleges, community colleges, and technical colleges are also all very valid aspirations, and the tools to get there are better than ever. Scottsbluff Public Schools is just one example, but both students and educators can be inspired by the moves our schools are taking to help all students achieve in all areas.

There’s plenty of information about honing STEM skills, as well as resources for teachers interested in learning, here on our blog. Questions? Comments? Excited for the school year to begin?  or leave a comment below, because we’d love to hear about it.

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photo credit: via