(This article first appeared as a guest editorial in the January 10, 2010 edition of the Omaha World-Herald)
New opportunities arise with learning community
B Y RICHARD L. KOLOWSKI
The writer, of Omaha, is chairman of the Learning Community Coordinating Council.
As we close out the first full year of the learning community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties, we are proud to have the chance to showcase the accomplishments to date and highlight the incredible educational opportunities available in our community.
The Learning Community Coordinating Council took office in January 2009. The initial task undertaken by the Council was to create the working structure of the organization. We met with school districts, health and human services organizations, community groups, city and county officials, legislators and the Nebraska Department of Education in preparing for the decisions and work ahead.
The law written by the Nebraska Legislature focused on three key areas in our local community’s goal for educational excellence. The first area of focus is also key to our students’ long term success.
The learning community is charged with addressing barriers to student achievement, barriers both academic and social in nature. We are to meet these challenges head on through the creation of Elementary Learning Centers.
Elementary Learning Centers are to serve as visionary resource centers for enhancing the academic success for elementary students, particularly those students who face challenges in the educational environment due to factors such as poverty, limited English skills and mobility.
Plans for the first centers were submitted prior to the end of this past year. As we move forward into 2010, we will be focusing on implementing these plans.
The second goal is to have our school communities reflect the socioeconomic diversity of our greater community. Classrooms are the preparation ground of our future leaders and decision makers. As such, the earlier we can introduce our students to the diversity that exists all around us, the better equipped they will be to succeed.
In December 2009, the Council passed the first diversity plan. The new open enrollment process and an upcoming joint School Fair event are just two of the many action steps that will come out of this plan.
On Sunday, January 31, we are partnering with the 11 school districts in the learning community to host the first joint School Fair at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Milo Bail Student Center from 1 to 4 p.m. This event will bring together all of the 11 member school districts and will give students and their families a chance to explore their educational choices and learn more about the new open enrollment process for our area.
Lastly, we have the opportunity to address the inherent inequities of funding that typically exist in urban/suburban educational settings. This is a struggle that communities throughout our country have been grappling with for years.
Throughout the summer, the Council met with school district leadership as we prepared to set the first common levies on behalf of the learning community. All of the dollars collected through these levies go back to the 11 school districts through a formula that gives weight to school districts dealing with students in poverty.
One of the most gratifying aspects of this first year has been the response and participation of so many of our area residents in public meetings and community forums. It is my hope that as we move forward in this new year, we can continue to fulfill our mission of bringing together the strengths within our community to create a collaborative environment that promotes academic excellence, the development of educational opportunity and resource equity that maximizes the potential of every child.
We hope that many families and community patrons will attend the School Fair on January 31 at UNO to learn more about the wide variety of excellent educational opportunities available to students in the 11 school districts within our two county learning community.