NEW YEAR RESOLUTION:
JOURNEY FOR A BETTER EDUCATION

 Gary Hansen, District Administrator 
 
The celebrations of New Years Eve represent a turning point in which many make a promise to improve a characteristic, a habit, or practice. While positive change is synonymous with New Years Eve, positive change for public education has already begun at both the state and local level.

At the state level, we see major changes as the Department of Public Instruction works on new common core standards in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. These new common core standards have the potential to raise education to a much higher level. Personally, I don’t doubt these standards represent changes that will improve public education throughout Wisconsin. The reformatted State test (formerly WKCE), incorporating these new standards, is scheduled for the 2014-2015 school year.

Locally, the Rosendale-Brandon School District is already preparing for these changes. At its December 2011 meeting, the School Board approved changes to our curriculum to meet these future common core standards. The curriculum changes include:
       Current freshman physical science concepts will be incorporated into the 8th grade science classes.
       Biology will move from the sophomore to freshman year, allowing a college preparatory path for students to take Chemistry, AP Biology, and Physics in sophomore through senior years. 
       Math is being adjusted, so that by the end of the 8th grade all students will have completed one year of algebra. A college math path in high school will offer geometry, algebra 2, pre-calculus and calculus.

We are working to obtain transcripted course work in both science and math, which will add to the number of choices currently offered for high school students to earn college credit.

But that’s not all Rosendale-Brandon is doing. The district became a technology leader by providing computers and Internet access to all of our high school students in a true 1-to-1 implementation last year. We continue to move forward in technology by supplying interactive SmartBoards in all elementary and middle school classrooms, encouraging the posting of lessons online in order to create a blended learning environment, and exploring electronic textbooks. In addition, the district will be proposing a project-based charter school which will link technology and the arts, and will be available to resident and non-resident students alike.

Yes, changes for a better education are overshadowing the 2012 New Year celebrations. And while change has always been important to us, it is crucial that we fully embrace it now. It is my belief that public education is not just changing. Rather education is experiencing a transitional process, a process in which our challenge as a School Board, administration, staff, parents, and community will be to determine the skills and knowledge our students will need in their future.

Henry Ford once stated that in his earlier years, if he would have asked people what they wanted, they would have answered “A faster horse.” He saw the future of the car even though, at that time, roads were basically non-existent, and gasoline was scarce. Likewise, the type of education needed for the future requires a paradigm shift.

The transition that we as a District are going through is a journey, and without a doubt, 2012 will bring about paramount change.

Abraham Lincoln's Birthday

February 12