EduCon explores educational concerns within community





Local students, politicians and school and community leaders took a hard look at some of the issues facing education during the Nov. 7 “EduCon” conference at the Agoura/Calabasas Community Center.

Agoura High School teachers Jason Busby and Deb Frank organized the event, subtitled as a “21st century community conversation to prepare students for today and for the world of tomorrow.”

Busby and Frank are “team teaching” classes in social sciences and English literature this year. After developing surveys and analyzing data, the students in the classes posed questions to the EduCon panelists based on the issues deemed most important.

The panelists included Agoura Hills Mayor Harry Schwarz and City Councilmember Bill Koehler, Calabasas Mayor James Bozajian and Westlake Village Mayor Ned Davis.

School officials on the panel were Las Virgenes Unified School District Superintendent Donald Zimring, board president Jill Gaines and board member Dave Moorman.

Larry Misel, principal of Agoura High School, Sandra Pope, co-president of the Las Virgenes Educators Association, and Ziona Friedlander, president of T.H.E. Foundation, also joined the panel as did Agoura Hills resident Meril Platzer and Illece Buckley Weber, elected councilmember.

Students Josh Cosmer and Dennis Neymit presented information from the student questionnaire. More than 1,900 of Agoura High’s 2,200 students were surveyed.

The first question for panelists centered on student motivation. The survey found that most students cared more about grades than subject comprehension. Some students, the survey found, chose not to take a challenging, advanced placement class at the risk of earning a lower grade.

Panelists were asked how students could be motivated to take tougher classes requiring more analytical and critical thinking skills.

Buckley Weber shared her own college experience. “I wanted to learn to carry a tune,” she said about a singing class she took. She said ultimately she wasn’t graded on her ability, but how hard she worked in the class.

Another question asked how teachers could embrace more innovative teaching styles, similar to the cross-curricular classes being taught by Busby and Frank.

Misel believes high school classes must carry relevance to the real world. Moorman said students find it difficult to see the relevance of information learned in just one class.

Pope said the trick is for teachers to ask questions in which they don’t have answers. The Socratic method of discussion is effective in connecting the students to their material, she said.

The survey showed students achieve more when working in teams, due in part to camaraderie.

Davis talked about the importance of collaboration. “In business and life, if you don’t learn how to collaborate you won’t get along,” the Westlake mayor said.

Zimring said the school district’s mission is to always find ways to “connect kids.” He pointed to the 55 clubs, the International Baccalaureate program and the new Lacrosse team at Agoura High as examples of how schools can offer student-centered programs despite budget cutbacks.

Pope was applauded for her answer about how the community could—and should—pull together to lower student’s proclivity towards partying and drug use.

Recreational activities for kids—skate parks, water parks, arcades and other teen-centered activities—have been voted down by adults repeatedly, Pope said. Without these alternatives, kids often turn to parties and drug or alcohol use as their top recreational source.

Davis said the new community park in Westlake Village will include a skate park.

How students could gain real world applications from their time in school was also posed to panelists.

Schwarz said one of the most important skills to be learned in school is writing and comprehension. Written and verbal communication tools are necessary for any job, he said.

John Mengus, a senior at Agoura High School and a student representative for the Las Virgenes Unified School District Board of Education, said the evening of discussion provided ample ideas for further discussion.

He closed the session with a question for panelists: “Where are we going to go from here and how are you going to help?”



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