Concerned parents, current and former educators and community members met for Community Unification for Educational Excellence’s Education Planning Task Force meeting Thursday evening at S.L. Mason Elementary School.

Anyone attending the CUEE meeting expecting a plan for how unification of the city and county school systems would work left disappointed. Instead of discussing how the school systems might merge if CUEE’s campaign to dissolve the Valdosta school charter succeeds during the Nov. 8 election referendum, the Education Planning Task Force focused on its primary objective: improving academics for area students.

The group focused on recommendations for middle school and high school education standards and transitioning into the real world and work force.

Retired Valdosta State University professor Dennis Marks led a presentation of recommended proposals that focused on partnering with local businesses, colleges and technical schools.

These recommendations included ways of delivering education such as collaborations from middle and high schools with Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, VSU, Moody Air Force Base and South Georgia Medical Center.

The meeting briefly focused on magnet schools and concerns about transportation and encouraging a child to participate in a magnet program.

An unidentified parent asked that when speaking about magnet schools were they really expecting 15- and 16-year-olds to make up their minds on attending.

Another parent voiced her concern that transportation could interfere with aspects of the child’s learning by possibly traveling long distances to a magnet school.

“I am always worried about those things. Magnet schools are not new. Those are the things you work through when you’re planning,” said CUEE Facilitator Steve Prigohzy.

Valdosta Early College Academy Principal Ingrid Hall spearheaded the discussion of middle and high school standards. Hall first presented norms that she recommended would help the meeting flow smoothly and efficiently which included respect, honoring one another’s time and letting others speak before responding or speaking.

Regal Marine Plant Manager Greg Justice asked if testing standards were out of the schools’ hands.

“No Child Left Behind gets in the way, children are tested to death,” he said.

Hall informed Justice and the group that at VECA the focus is on standards daily.

“We use assessment to determine if people know what they say they know,” she said.

Justice said that it was important to focus on work-place readiness and connecting that aspect with education.

A question was raised asking if students in the community were meeting their Annual Yearly Progress standards and if they were mandated statewide.

“AYP is a state standard that has to be approved by the federal government,” said Valdosta City Schools Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Scarlet Brown.

Justice asked about soft skills and if there was legislation passed to conduct a soft-skill assessment and that it should be taught at an early age.

Brown answered by saying that recent legislation passed for soft-skill assessments, and that current standards do not seem to accurately measure a student’s work-place preparedness.

Peggy Moch, a VSU associate professor of mathematics education, discussed her concern that there are national standards on every subject except mathematics.

After a brief discussion, Hall asked a high school student in attendance for her take on what she believed students her age needed.

“World preparation, I believe, is the most important. Making sure that they (students) can understand what is expected of them before they graduate,” the teenage student said.

Justice said he believes students discover their talents and potential through purpose-driven studies.

Prigohzy then asked what could be structurally done to accomplish that?

“Assessment. If we find what their meant for, we can help steer them in that direction. If schools, the Industrial Authority and Chamber of Commerce work together, we can have a structure to help our kids grow as a community,” Justice answered.

Later, Jimmy Whatley stated that for him the biggest concern was parental involvement.

“How can we change the environment to help stimulate personal interest? The attitude that child leaves home with is critical. What can we do to support them so they can rise above what they see already?” he asked.

Whatley said that he isn’t discrediting single parents or the situations that cause many students to not be focused on school or their futures.

Tar Drazdowski said, as a former teacher in the city school system, she learned that to engage a student required a different delivery of information.

Hall concluded the meeting by informing the group that it is important for teachers to connect with the student and understand that every child does not know how to respond to every situation when many have massive responsibilities at home that may affect their attitudes and their drive to learn.

She informed the group that at VECA, they make an effort to show their care and concern for the students because it means more to them than what many would expect.

“Teachers have to honor, care and teach them how to care and act. Those relationships go a long way,” she said.