Schools driving Batavia's economic growth

Posted by Howard Owens on May 13, 2008 - 11:20am
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Batavia's public schools are helping to drive local economic growth, according to observations by Ann Flynn, director of education technology programs for the National School Board Association.

Flynn was recently in Batavia and made these observations:

In driving around the community, I noticed that new commercial development was underway and after meeting the students, teachers, district staff, and board members, it was clear how the quality of the district's schools must surely contribute to that growth. Sixty-seven educators from 10 states joined me last week to gain a deeper understanding about how Batavia developed its vision and found the funding to create student-centered classrooms. A great example was seen during the visit to a middle school social studies class that had students working in three areas of the room: one group completing work sheets by listening to pre-assigned segments of campaign speeches on iPods; another group using an interactive white board with the instructor; and the remaining students working in pairs on a WebQuest with computers located in the rear of the room.

Throughout the visit, we saw excited, engaged students focused on their assigned tasks that encouraged them to think rather than simply recite facts. Although many factors impact an area's economic well being, the visit to Batavia, reminded me how critical it is for school board members to understand the role public schools play in a community's long-term economic health. It is evident that the city of Batavia is now reaping the benefits from years of thoughtful planning by school leaders.

One of the things that excited us about launching The Batavian in Batavia is the strong sense of economic vitality.  If the schools are helping to drive that, all the better for the community's long-term economic health. 

We certainly believe in education.  Education not only helps create entrepreneurs and a talented work force, but it also leads to a better engaged citizenry.  These are the things that make a community strong.

 

Posted by daniel cherry on May 13, 2008 - 2:38pm
I would like to comment on freedom of information.See upon our pending eviction we need somthing to bring to court.The city sent our ladlord'see ya right here'' a letter to fix things.We promptly got a notice to vacate right afterwards.I called the gas co to ask for pertinent information.Its about us.They said no its confidential.I called the city they say i dont think you can get the information but you can file a freedom of information and see.I dont even know how to file one.I dont have a lawyer.Nor can we afford one.But i do know under the law its illegal to evict someone for asking to have somthing fixed.It has not been fixed.And the wire on the utube get justice video is still there.Nobody cares.HUD will not let me have things from our file we need.I even had my son call our landlord to see if we could have time to find a place.No reply.So im packing it all up.With nowhere to go as of now.Thers one apartment on dellinger but theres a woman and 2 kids there.And since their not on hud it will take a long time to evict them.Hud says if we dont move they wont help us but we can pay it all ouselves.We are on a very limited income.We cant.Whats wrong with hud as i see it.People on hud dont have the same rights as others do.Like to withhold rent in an account till things get fixed.We're forced out.It is very very depressing.And it should be illegal after someone got 24,000 dollars from us.And can't even reply to a phone call anymore.I don't know what to do for my boys.Its a very bad situation and all we wanted was more time to find a place to move to.It doesnt seen like alot to ask but see ya right here does not reply not only to us to our welfare worker center for independant living or the social club no reply.The woman from welfare has tried since last november to contact them no reply.I only want whats fair and just for my boys and i.Yes i am angry at whats happened.I don't have an answer to this.I wanted the public to know what was going on here it is not just or fair to us.And id like to say thanks for some who replied and cared.But i see no reason not to use names.What is wrong with that??Mabe it would make them take a good hard look at the problem.A basic human need.A roof over our head.....dan and boys