Piedmont Unified School District collaborated in the workshop “Shaping Our Future 2.0” to advance Piedmont’s educational priorities, themes, and ideals, on Oct. 5.
All members of the community were invited to gather at the PMS Multi-Purpose Room from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm to further develop the goals set at the beginning of the school year and in Shaping Our Future 2009, under the theme “Together We Teach.” Participants were expected to stay the full day.
The purpose of this initiative was to set expectations for what students should gain from school besides standard education. Up until the meeting, the objectives for Piedmont students are to maximize individual potential, to cultivate global citizenry, to excel academically, to build the community, to become resilient, to learn program adaptability, and to be in partnership with the whole community. “Shaping Our Future 2.0” was meant to refine and clarify these goals for this coming year and the general future, according to the PUSD website.
Math teacher John Hayden attended the original Shaping Our Future workshop in 2009. Hayden, who is in the process of earning an Ed.D in Educational Leadership, said that a second meeting was imperative.
“It needs to happen every few years. You get new people in the system. Priorities change,” Hayden said.
The theme Together We Teach, to him, means that the entire community is responsible for education in subtle or obvious ways. He said that what the community feels is vital, and that as many people should come as possible.
“Everybody’s thoughts are out in the open, and I think it makes everybody feel more involved in the school which is, I think, very important. It’s one of the major strengths of Piedmont, how involved the community is in our school,” Hayden said.
However, Hayden said he feels that personal philosophy takes precedence over that of the school district. His own view on teaching practices drives how he teaches. He said that fortunately his findings through his constant research are very much in compliance with his personal and the school’s approach.
He said that the accordance between his personal approach and the school’s are very important.
“It’s not me being petty or petulant, it’s about trying to offer this community my best,” He said. “If what I consider to be my best is not in line with would the community wants, then I should be somewhere else.”
For some, however, the seven hour time commitment was too much. ASB Vice President Senior Will Strimling, while supportive of the meeting, said he was not able to attend because of upcoming deadlines for college applications. Were he not pressed for time, he would definitely have contributed.
Other seniors faced similar situations, including ASB President Cole Becker. Becker was taking SAT 2’s that weekend, but he said that he was “looking forward to hearing about the progress being made.”
Nothing is perfect, Becker said, but the best way to strive for perfection is by constantly revising and revisiting items to decide how you can improve upon them. He said he believes that, as with monetary donations, members of the community must contribute to the meeting to be successful.
“I think that the community voice is the reason our school is so great; without community involvement we would be devoid of so many of the community-supported resources at our school,” Becker said.
