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Imagine new schools

While the focus of recent back and forth regarding the proposed levy to fund new buildings for Marietta City Schools has been on dollars and maintenance needs, the real question of how best to provide a 21st century education for students has received little attention from the public.

The current buildings, in addition to being too many buildings for too few students, are not configured to allow for the collaborative teaching models and individualized instruction and support required by students in Marietta City Schools. As has been pointed out, over 50 percent of students are living below the federal poverty level and arrive at kindergarten with a variety of needs before they can be expected to concentrate on learning.

Additionally, the other 50 percent who are fortunate to live above the poverty level still need to develop 21st century skills that are not supported by antiquated buildings where retro-fitted air conditioning must be “unplugged” to allow for powering up state-of-the-art computers. Let’s imagine what a modern educational environment might be like for students.

Imagine a place where children from throughout the city district can form a community of learners based on interest and abilities rather than geography.

Imagine a learning environment where a team of educators and support staff can bring their combined expertise to meet each child’s needs.

Imagine a learning space that allows for individual, small group and large group educational experiences in a climate-controlled environment winter or summer.

This can be the future for students in Marietta City Schools if we step up as voters and vote “YES” for the proposed 5.36 mill levy on Nov. 5. Thank you.

Teresa Porter

Marietta

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