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Wellstone visits with NB educatorsBy MaryHelen Swanson U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone stopped by North Branch High School Monday afternoon to visit with local educators about education issues. About two dozen people, community leaders as well as school staff, joined him in the media center where they had an informal discussion. Wellstone said as he tours schools in the northern metro ring, he talks with students and asks what works and why. Good teachers, he said, comes up far and away the most important thing in education. Still, he went on, when he asks the students how many want to become a teacher, usually less than five percent respond. When asked about the federal mandate for testing, Wellstone said he wrote much of the language but voted against the bill. He said everyone, including himself, wants accountability, but he believes the impetus for the mandate comes from the bashing teachers get when people donít think teachers are doing their job. And he said the unfunded mandate was ìeducationally deadening.î On a more encouraging note, he noted that no school has to implement the testing until 2005 and it will take three years of evaluation after that. In eight-years time, he said, much can change. He said it breaks his heart how little weíre doing for pre-K education. Impressed with the North Branch High School building, Wellstone asked what the educators there liked best and what were their concerns. Chas Bettendorf responded saying as more and more mandates come down there is less time to work cooperatively and collaboratively with other staff members. ìThe intrusions donít work,î he said. What works, said Ted Martin, is technology. He said given the choice between learning from a book or from the computer, the children will choose the computer. They like the challenge, he said. Finance director Randi Johnson told Wellstone that accountability turns into more paperwork and recordkeeping. We cease to get funds just to operate schools, she said, funds are all tied to something. Assistant Superintendent Rodney Reisnouer asked if giving the money back to local control would be better. Wellstone said it would be tricky since the wealth of each community varies. Bettendorf also noted a concern among educators- the need to have student loans forgiven. Wellstone agreed it should be given consideration, but added it probably would start in schools where it is harder to get teachers. When he asked about teacher retention in the North Branch Schools, high school principal Dr. Michael Trok told him it was good. Wellstone is touring numerous communities this week discussing various issues. Before coming to North Branch Monday, he spent time in Cambridge at a small business event sponsored by the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. ©ECM Post Review |