Dear Editor,
Education can be done on slate tablets and in one room schoolhouses… but should it? Of course not. Students today must be trained to compete in the most unpredictable work environment in history. We all see how fast technology is changing our lives and workplaces. Students today must be prepared to think in new and flexible ways to become extraordinary problem solvers. I don’t believe this can be done in the teaching environments we currently provide in Del Norte. We need spaces that are designed for technology, designed for collaborative learning, designed like workplaces of the future. It’s a different world from when current buildings were built and we need different teaching spaces.
New teaching spaces also provide an enhanced ability to attract and retain the best educators. We have a dedicated and superb teaching staff in Del Norte that have done miraculous work in the buildings we have. What they will be able to do in appropriate spaces that are more secure, more efficient and designed for modern education will be amazing. Further, when we have to hire new teachers or administrators we will have facilities that will match their expectations. There is a teacher shortage coming and we better be able to compete as a District to land good ones, and a modern campus is a key factor.
Lastly, there are several vital community organizations that are desperate for new facilities and the school can make a transition easy. The fire department and head start has sent letters of interest to the school indicating a high desire to take over some of the buildings. They are making plans to utilize the old school buildings and repurpose them thus solving other important community issues. Please vote for 3A and visit Betterdelnorteschools.org.
Mike Hurst, Del Norte