Good start essential to educational success

A few days ago Dr. Jack Ernst assumed the role as superintendent of schools in Springfield.

He did not arrive with a list of cures for all our perceived educational woes. He has not tried to second guess his predecessors. He has not provided an agenda of what he expects to accomplish first or announced a grand scheme of education. Rather, he smiled a lot, learned some names, shook lots of hands, addressed numerous community organizations, promised to do his best and has asked us to join him in the First Day Rally celebrating our children and their schools.

What a great start!

Beginnings are usually fragile and always important. This is true for a new business and is also true at the beginning of a school year. During my career as a school teacher I have helped usher young children into kindergarten, older children and youth into their high school programs and young adults into their college and university years. Never have I seen a person start school seeking to fail. All want to succeed. Even some youngsters who act as if they don't care about anything would, if they could, like to stand on center stage with their parents, teachers and friends applauding their success in school. Herein lies one of our greatest challenges.

Success in school is no mystery. The formula for success is simple and yet requires much on the parts of everyone in the community. One can describe a nearly perfect educational system as access, a supportive home and a willing learner.

Access is the responsibility of the community. Teachers, staff, curriculum, books, buildings, laboratories, buses, supplies, a safe environment, etc. This is the access required for a formal education in a modern public school. This will require that the state of Missouri and school district provide the dollars necessary to provide them. We in Greene County and surrounding areas have strong and good schools. For the most part access is not a problem.

The supportive home should be self-explanatory. The supportive home sees to it that the child and youth are rested, fed, fueled with a good attitude about school and the teachers, with their homework completed and eager to learn. This will require a real commitment on the parts of the parents and other caregivers.

The willing learner may be more important than all the rest. The teacher and family must communicate regularly to see that the children and youth in the home are mostly meeting with success so they will retain that all-important willingness to continue working at the task.

I am keenly aware of the fact that in even the best communities the human condition is imperfect and the finest school system is often strained to the limit as it tries to meet all the expectations we place upon it . And I know there are many conditions that mitigate against this perfect system from working out in the real world. I have run across most of them.

But ...

There is one thing for certain: A good beginning will do wonders for everyone. So, before we get covered up with assignments, papers to write and grade, meetings to attend, class schedules to keep, games to win and new friends to make, let us, as a community, embrace Dr. Ernst's suggestion.

The First Day Rally is a proper place to start.

The Springfield Public Schools will hold its First Day Rally 10 a.m. Aug. 30. Its theme is Together We Can. The event will be preceded by high school student performances at 9 a.m. Following the rally, Ernst and the board of education will host a reception for community leaders. More information is available by calling 864-3851.

(Arthur L. Mallory, EdD, is a former president of Southwest Missouri State University and former commissioner of education who resides in Springfield.)[[In-content Ad]]