LEADERSHIP BARTOW XVI - EDUCATION DAY

by Jeff Roslow

Throughout the day, we were brought up to speed on how different education is now compared to when we went to school. The major difference is the school system’s aim is to prepare students for the real world rather than focusing on straight reading, writing and arithmetic. And, more often than it did years ago, relies on the business community to help students reach that end.

School Board member Hazel Sellers spent the day with us, following her stint as emcee for the Teacher of the Year and School Related Employees of the Year Awards breakfast at the Bartow Civic Center. Our first stop was Summerlin Academy.

Cadet Alexis Mace, a junior at Summerlin, introduced us to the state's only public school military academy. Most of the Leadership class took a turn at finding out how difficult it is to twirl a rifle. The Cadets all seemed to have it mastered. The Leadership Class, not so much.

Summerlin is one of three high schools in one school. There's also Bartow High and the International Baccalaureate (IB) schools. All three work together in harmony. The IB school is rated as one of the top Florida high schools; and rated fourth in the nation according to a survey done by Newsweek magazine.

We spent our morning touring Bartow High School and seeing all the academies it has to offer. It has a total of 12 academies, which is the most in Polk County, and include Agriculture, Medical, EMS, Education, Construction, Nursing, and Culinary, to name a few.

We ended our tour of Bartow High at the culinary academy where the whole Leadership class was treated with a gourmet meal by the students. Service was excellent, the food, superb!

Upon arriving at Union Academy, we were greeted by a string ensemble of students playing an old song on fiddle, mandolin and bass. Six students from the school confidently told us of the advantages of going to the magnet school. Union draws students on a lottery basis to its magnet school. It is also one of two middle schools in the county that is deemed an International Baccalaureate school since last year.

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“It's learning how to learn,” said Dr. Brenda Hardman, Principal of Union Academy. Dr. Hardman also happens to be a member of Leadership Bartow XVI.

Some highlights we learned is students read about 20 books a year at this school, compared to about two books at most middle schools and when J.C. Martin asked what kinds of books they read, many were reading the kinds of literature one would expect from high schoolers.

At BMS we were introduced to the school's new principal, Dr. Leigh Cooley, who has been on the job for about three weeks.

We had the opportunity to talk directly to about 60 students who performed part of “Shrek Junior,” a play the students are planning to do around Valentine's Day.

The school is looking to work harder in fine arts and though it isn't a fine arts academy now it is heading in that direction. The school is growing a lot – currently it has 832 students – and despite the fact that the school is rated by the state in the D-F range, Cooley assured us it won't be that way for long. Hazel Sellers also emphasized to us that through her experience with the school (she represents the Bartow district in her school board position) this should not be a low-rated school.

Our final destination was Polk State College's corporate college on State Road 60. This more than anything showed us the change in education. There was some of it shown to us at BHS, but this is really where the business community meets the chalkboard.

Set up through Polk State College, the corporate college on Clear Springs opened last January at a cost of $14.7 million (non-taxpayer money).

It has classes – as such – for both the corporate world and degree-seeking world, said Dr. Eric Roe who gave us an excellent tour of the facility. There are no classes. Students come and go at their own time and the classrooms, built by and many taught by corporations, resemble machinery and manufacturing floors.

In the engineering lab there were two teachers sitting at what appeared to be a customer service desk around the machinery. Roe said students come and go using them for assistance.

Roe said the college is seeking to find the best way to train workforce for the area. This agreement between businesses and education is a way to do that.

In a later question and answer period the Leadership Bartow class had with Sellers and fellow school board member Hunt Berryman, the question arose over the ease and trust of putting business and education together. Sellers said it has been a great experience and one that each participant benefits.

Roe said he is pleased with what's come of the corporate college so far. “If any business complains that the kids aren't ready to work, encourage them to partner with us,” he said.


LEADERSHIP BARTOW XVI - EDUCATION DAY by Jeff Roslow Throughout the day, we were brought up to speed on how different education is now compared to when we went to school. The major difference is the school system’s aim is to prepare students for the real world rather than focusing on straight reading, writing and arithmetic. And, more often than it did years ago, relies on the business community to help students reach that end. School Board member Hazel Sellers spent the day with us, following her stint as emcee for the Teacher of the Year and School Related Employees of the Year Awards breakfast at the Bartow Civic Center. Our first stop was Summerlin Academy. Cadet Alexis Mace, a junior at Summerlin, introduced us to the state's only public school military academy. Most of the Leadership class took a turn at finding out how difficult it is to twirl a rifle. The Cadets all seemed to have it mastered. The Leadership Class, not so much. Summerlin is one of three high schools in one school. There's also Bartow High and the International Baccalaureate (IB) schools. All three work together in harmony. The IB school is rated as one of the top Florida high schools; and rated fourth in the nation according to a survey done by Newsweek magazine. We spent our morning touring Bartow High School and seeing all the academies it has to offer. It has a total of 12 academies, which is the most in Polk County, and include Agriculture, Medical, EMS, Education, Construction, Nursing, and Culinary, to name a few. We ended our tour of Bartow High at the culinary academy where the whole Leadership class was treated with a gourmet meal by the students. Service was excellent, the food, superb! Upon arriving at Union Academy, we were greeted by a string ensemble of students playing an old song on fiddle, mandolin and bass. Six students from the school confidently told us of the advantages of going to the magnet school. Union draws students on a lottery basis to its magnet school. It is also one of two middle schools in the county that is deemed an International Baccalaureate school since last year. “It's learning how to learn,” said Dr. Brenda Hardman, Principal of Union Academy. Dr. Hardman also happens to be a member of Leadership Bartow XVI. Some highlights we learned is students read about 20 books a year at this school, compared to about two books at most middle schools and when J.C. Martin asked what kinds of books they read, many were reading the kinds of literature one would expect from high schoolers. At BMS we were introduced to the school's new principal, Dr. Leigh Cooley, who has been on the job for about three weeks. We had the opportunity to talk directly to about 60 students who performed part of “Shrek Junior,” a play the students are planning to do around Valentine's Day. The school is looking to work harder in fine arts and though it isn't a fine arts academy now it is heading in that direction. The school is growing a lot – currently it has 832 students – and despite the fact that the school is rated by the state in the D-F range, Cooley assured us it won't be that way for long. Hazel Sellers also emphasized to us that through her experience with the school (she represents the Bartow district in her school board position) this should not be a low-rated school. Our final destination was Polk State College's corporate college on State Road 60. This more than anything showed us the change in education. There was some of it shown to us at BHS, but this is really where the business community meets the chalkboard. Set up through Polk State College, the corporate college on Clear Springs opened last January at a cost of $14.7 million (non-taxpayer money). It has classes – as such – for both the corporate world and degree-seeking world, said Dr. Eric Roe who gave us an excellent tour of the facility. There are no classes. Students come and go at their own time and the classrooms, built by and many taught by corporations, resemble machinery and manufacturing floors. In the engineering lab there were two teachers sitting at what appeared to be a customer service desk around the machinery. Roe said students come and go using them for assistance. Roe said the college is seeking to find the best way to train workforce for the area. This agreement between businesses and education is a way to do that. In a later question and answer period the Leadership Bartow class had with Sellers and fellow school board member Hunt Berryman, the question arose over the ease and trust of putting business and education together. Sellers said it has been a great experience and one that each participant benefits. Roe said he is pleased with what's come of the corporate college so far. “If any business complains that the kids aren't ready to work, encourage them to partner with us,” he said.
Newsletter1 - January 5, 2015