Brainstorming (Again) About Rethinking (or even Rethinnking) Education in small towns and bigger ones too, from CT to other states and countries

As an open matter of debate, spending $5K on professional development for the head of a multi million dollar organization is not that much. The idea that someone is willing and able to go to other programs can be sign of hope and taking in important timely information, networking and keeping up with required credentials.

I feel overall more parents and 'concerned stakeholders' from all parts of our area and the wider tri-state and even 'internet and otherwise concerned (alums, second homeowners etc) are a hUGE untapped resources, even for hugs, to help us figure this whole challenge (and opportunity as the Chinese often define challenge) in helpful win-win-win ways. Plus we are a kind of social psych experiment playing out to help America and other parts of the world consider key elements.

We all have Much More Power and sway over how our youth and others are cared for than we've Allowed Ourselves to really tune into. Sometimes I think everyone would opt to home school and use the town recreation programs to facilitate an array of learning programs, music, sports field trips (yes, even to the private schools who offer great cultural events whether at elementary, high school, college or other levels, such as OLLI or Toastmasters which is an International Club promoting speaking..

That has a special 'student club' format or we could Invent our own. Many private school and town programs and even Audubon and faith and civic groups reflect the resources and people of those involved. The Faith communities offer another venue for learning and networking (and often deep pockets with endowments and great ecumenical or at least cultural networks...)

Then if most families are happy with their own specialized learning paths (and networking with other towns and even other states, thank you very much North East Community Center, all libraries, Audubon, Clubs, Taconic Learning Center (which could likely allow more mature youth to join in and offer more programs through that venue), online and other camp (Silver Lake, Camp Sloane, Camp Housy).

Other programs could happen informally on weekends to close up learning and social gaps with a lot of hosting primarily in Falls Village to not have to transport youth far on a Friday and back on a Monday, for instance and have a local working farm and outdoor classrooms and maybe even use Kellogg or other town resources, such as embellishing the bathrooms and such as the Senior Center in the Town Hall (serving seniors but also inviting various age groups in to create learning and networking opportunities whether at garden and photography clubs (locally that's in Sharon for a Garden Club or Lakeville for a photography club plus more in the Great Barrington MA area for instance).

Extra halls and lawn spaces may be at the  FV Congregational Church (or Trinity Limerock or other churches and centers) and even the libraries to make them more community center oriented if ideas and goals could be shared to help meet budgets and have more volunteers and paid help to oversee programs. Maybe a part of the high school could actually be used as well.

.Getting some vans and such for transportation( even to Metro North so many more towns could be explored even that one called The Big Apple City (NYC which I added the word city to for The Big Apple so we think of our ABCs for learning and understanding the creative bigger world.) More train rides, bus rides, and field trips to friends and families who live nearby (meeting at their libraries etc) could round out offerings at other private and even public schools, seeing the music and art shows, science and athletic events and so forth.

That may sound ridiculous to some, but not accessing and sharing local resources may be part of a decline on many levels. Some of this is about reformatting ourselves to be able to stay in the area, keep it alive and well but possibly in a new format.

Charter schools can become corrupt and not allow as much input from the public but they may also prove 'better than nothing' or abandoning ship by leaving the area due to economics or other factors. In terms of a charter or private or even 'homeschooling' model of educating youth, making a primary goal to allow more parents to interact with their children (for meals if not learning and extra hobbies and such) could help more parents have time to be in their children's lives. If there are custody plans for instance, mothers could be at school M and W and fathers on T and Th, with other family and interested parties (relatives, friends etc) on F if not on the other days as well.

Suddenly no one would have to feel they could only see their child 'one or two days a week and every other weekend'. There would be another 30 hours or so during the week where people could possibly have someone from their family and friend network connecting with their child (and the others, perhaps with multi age and a host of subjects etc) to help the social and learning paradigm become more connected to other aspects of the community.

Again around the country, few parents are finding ways to really be with their children, even from infancy on so important options for those interested could be offered alongside the existing models (extra curricular networking embellishing local and natural as well as daycare, school and such networks) during the week and on the weekends.

With sports and sometimes other programs dominating weekends, (even beyond what a faith schedule traditionally sought), many families can feel they are living in a subway station of frenzy with only a couple of trains to get on. Rethinking why sports are primarily competitive (along with many other hobbies, even from early ages) may help shift the options for youth and families to be better balanced. Already there are different leagues from the earliest grades for serious athletic competition vs the more friendly. Likely anyone under age 12 should not have to go to more than the town next door for a competition rather than six towns for instance.

I know that is the most radical idea on here yet. In terms of the Region One dances, likely those could be capped at 50 students per event with more planned activities to help all people feel tuned in beyond socially knowing whose from which town and staying in cliques due to the huge numbers. Some phys ed teachers (past and present) could offer ideas for New Games or other friendly teambuilding skills and even some life skills (survivor games, first aid for bleeding, choking, water safety 101 and more...)

Teaching all students and families about water safety and how to swim etc could be shared goal that is met in many ways. Same thing with safe driving and much more (avoiding using drugs early or often, and more advocacy for parents and adults to not model drinking and more so casually in front of young children (babies, tots and kids through the teen years...but to keep that as more of an adult activity and ideally one not done to excess.)

One of the key indicators of who gets addicted is those who start early on any kind of drug from nicotine to beer and pot, so it's important to help families and youth understand the physical consequences substances have on their Brain  Centers. Okay more later, must get on with my day..but stay tuned and please chime in with how these things Could Work before offering the 'no way in heck' do they have a value...