Marion County educators focusing on collaborative future

Over the past few weeks, I have written a series of articles relating to education and the community. In this article I am sharing with the community a concept embarked upon on Sept. 20 by the Marion County Board of Education, the county’s three districts, 1, 2 and 7, the Marion County Technical Education Center, the Marion County Alternative School and Marion County Adult Education.

The Marion County School Board hosted a joint meeting with the State Department and all the educational entities mentioned. The full day in-service was designed to bring a clearer focus and better communication and collaboration between all of the educational systems. This historic meeting was successful and informative for all attendees. Over the period of years and decades many agencies, including the school system, have not had a collaborative working relationship. This has led to individuals working within their own silos and thus not able to produce adequate and sustainable growth. The history of the division of the county school system is an interesting one, but the short and long of the history has left us fragmented and often mistrusting of each other.

This mistrust, coupled with an unwillingness to work together, has led us to operating a less than admirable school system. Reviewing the past is helpful; staying in the past is unacceptable. There is a tremendous need to work together here in Marion County and the Sept. 20 meeting was an excellent beginning. Over the next few weeks and months, the Marion County Board of Education and its constituent districts will begin to forge a plan that will enhance the working relationships of its entities and communities.

Some of the following areas of collaboration will include:
Greater communication and cooperation between districts and Marion County Board of Education
Collaboration between district and county board
Pooling of resources and ideas
Excellent public relations within the county regarding education
More focus policies to govern education
Create a plan to involve more parents in the education of their children
Comprehensive program to enhance Marion County Technical offerings for district schools
Uniform system of discipline, attendance and scheduling for all schools
A spirit of working together to improve our education system
Collaboration in providing additional assistance for adult education

Together we can make a tremendous difference in the delivery of quality education.
I believe if we continue to move forward with an open communication, forward planning and collaboration, Marion County will begin to create a system of education that will guarantee each student an opportunity to select his or her career path, course of study and be better prepared for their life’s work.

Here we have an excellent opportunity to become better than we are and provide for a better future for our children.

Congratulations are due to the Marion County School Board for providing a new approach to helping to assist in preparing for a better education system for Marion County students.

Nathaniel Miller is the Superintendent of Marion School District 2 which encompasses the schools in the Mullins and Nichols areas of the county.