An opportunity to reinvent ourselves

I’ve been thinking a lot about next year when all of our bond projects will be complete and we will have new grade configurations in nearly all of our buildings.  This fact, coupled with the economic concerns we continue to experience, may be just the impetus we need to think about moving further along the continuum to transform our schools into actual 21st century learning centers.  Let’s face it; we get comfortable with what we do when we have done it for a long period of time.  However, the conversation is already underway at the high school to see if there is a better schedule which can be designed to meet the learning needs of all of our students.  I would also suggest that we have those same opportunities at the middle level as we transition to the 5th/6th center and the 7th/8th middle school.  What a great opportunity, especially at Santa Fe, to create a unique educational structure which effectively meets the needs of all of our students and more fully engages them in the educational process.  In our newly configured K-4 buildings we will also have the capacity to transform, to create elementary schools designed around student learning needs and maximizing space and staff use.  We are fast approaching the end of the first decade of the 21st century; what better time to reinvent ourselves and our schools to better serve our students.  What do you think?