Wow, as someone who has frequently been puzzled by and at times critical of Hamilton County Schools system leadership, last week was a gift.
In case you missed it, starting next year there will be specific curricula for students who have specific interests, whether those interests take them to four-year schools or not. The plan, called Future Ready Institutes, helps our public school kids see the future in the present.
Everyone take a bow.
It's the rare scenario in which there appears to be no downside. Well, unless you start to wonder why this took so long.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chancellor Steven Angle, left, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger and Superintendent Bryan Johnson mingle after a press conference announcing the launch of the Future Ready Institutes at Howard School on Thursday, March 15, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. The 11 Hamilton County schools to have a Future Ready Institute are: Brainerd High, East Hamilton Middle/High, East Ridge High, Hixson High, Howard High, Ooltewah High, Red Bank High, Sequoyah High, Tyner High, Signal Mountain Middle/High and Soddy-Daisy High.
Jay GreesonWith apologies to schools Superintendent Bryan Johnson's magic napkin diagram, here's hoping that as great a first step in practicality as this is, there could be a better trend afoot here. A trend to consistently benefit the students rather than those in charge of them.
This could be the first real step in a new direction that a lot of us have been dying for for some time.
This idea has been part of the in-depth and insightful pages of the Chattanooga 2.0 initiative for awhile. Yes, Johnson's input and aggressiveness are tangible here, too.
The plan makes sense - almost too much sense - in today's cookie-cutter world of everyone being measured through the same prism.
(While we are here, this seems like a fair time to ask the school board this week to a) get on board with this without the self-serving sound bites, and b) figure out how to support a new direction of finding solutions rather than checking boxes.)
This also seems like a fair time to point out there are lots of other parts of the Chattanooga 2.0 plan that should be embraced and examined sooner rather than later. If we are going to start with the Future Ready Institutes, then let's explore more autonomy for principals and proposals for retaining the brightest teachers.
For too long some members of the leadership at Bonny Oaks and on the school board have been more worried about who gets credit than who they are supposed to help.
Now should be the time the school board embraces students rather than their politics and the direction of the curriculum rather than the direction of the credit.
It makes me think of Harry S Truman's great quote, "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."
Here's hoping that beyond the help the Future Ready Institutes offer the next generation of Hamilton County students, this decision-making motive will direct this and future generations of school system leaders and board members.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343.