Club Meeting – April 18th

The Finnish Phenomenon: Public Education in Finland

In November 2012, six school leaders from Salem were part of a Delegation of more than 30 educators from Virginia to Finland that included the Virginia Secretary of Education.  East Salem Principal Mrs. Diane Rose, West Salem Associate Principal Mrs. Debbie Carroll, G.W. Carver Principal and Division Director of Assessment, Dr. Joe Coleman, Andrew Lewis Middle School Principal Dr. Forest Jones, Board Vice Chair and CEO of Country Cookin’ Restaurants Mr. David Preston, and Superintendent and Rotarian, Dr. Alan Seibert shared their perspectives from the trip and their gratitude for a Salem Business Leader who sponsored the Salem Delegation.

For Rotarians and Salem citizens interested in learning more about the experience click on for a summary document, Big Ideas, Key “Takeaways” and Implications:  November 2012 Finland Study Trip .  Among future implications for Salem City Schools, the presenters asked Rotarians to please plan to take part in the Salem School Board’s forthcoming, “Great Conversation” to engage parents and other citizens in establishing what we want students in Salem to know and be able to do as Salem City Schools will persist in asserting local control to individualize instruction for all students in spite of increasing state and national emphasis on standardization and sameness. The Salem City School Division has also applied to be selected to administer the international PISA Assessment discussed during the presentation to a random sample of 10th Grade students in Salem.