Editor’s note: This is the first part of a two-part guest editorial by Marshalltown Schools Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte.

The Marshalltown Community School District is taking big strides to implement purposeful curriculum, programing and teaching and learning methodologies; while forging partnerships with local business and industry, in an effort to create greater career awareness amongst students and staff and to develop higher degrees of college and career readiness.

During the past century of a predominately agricultural and industrial economy, only about 30 percent of our graduates needed to pursue post-secondary education to acquire a job which provided livable wages. In today’s global economy, that number is reversed with approximately 70 percent of our graduates needing to successfully pursue some form of post-secondary education (certification programs, vocational or technical schools, military, associates and/or bachelor’s degrees) to access today’s jobs that provide livable wages. That is why the goal of Future Ready Iowa is for 70 percent of Iowa’s workforce to have education or training beyond high school by 2025. Whereas Iowa has long boasted one of the highest high school graduation rates in the country, we’re one of the lowest performing states as it relates to adults having post-secondary education and marketable skills in today’s workforce. Our community, state and country are depending on this in order to remain a globally competitive economic power.

This past school year, the district has partnered with Junior Achievement (JA) at the kindergarten through sixth grade levels to deliver volunteer led programs that foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills, and use experiential learning to inspire students to dream big and reach their potential. Over 30 local Marshalltown businesses and industries have stepped up in a big way providing approximately 57 volunteers to implement programs at Rogers, Hoglan and Fisher Elementary Schools; as well as, Lenihan Intermediate School. Our students have benefited greatly from the curriculum; as well as, through the newly formed relationships they’ve made with an adult volunteer teacher from our local community. The district continues to seek local businesses support as another 45-50 volunteers will be needed next fall to complete the district-wide implementation at Anson, Franklin and Woodbury Elementary Schools. Interested businesses and volunteers are encouraged to contact District Elementary Curriculum and Professional Development Teacher Leader Erica Finders (efinders@marshalltown.k12.ia.us) or District Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte (tschutte@marshalltown.k12.ia.us).

At Miller Middle School, the staff have been immersed in studying, discussing and piloting how best to implement project-based learning into their classrooms. Project-based learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. These projects often address problems that are connected to local, state, national or worldwide issues. In the 21st century workplace and in college, success requires more than basic knowledge and skills. In a project, students learn how to take initiative and responsibility, build their confidence, solve problems, work in teams, communicate ideas, and manage themselves more effectively. This approach to teaching and learning is highly engaging for middle school students and provides practical application of the workplace readiness skills being scaffold through the Junior Achievement curriculum.

The Marshalltown community has always had a long standing reputation for being a great place to live, learn, work and play. Nobody knows that better than our proud graduates and/or families that have moved here to raise their families. There is no question that many things have changed within the community over the past half century; some for the better and possibly some for the worse. One thing that hasn’t changed is the strong and unquenchable desire of many of our local business and industry leaders to do whatever it takes to return the Marshalltown mindset to one of excellence, in every sense of the word. The willingness to partner with the district in the form of human capital (volunteerism) and financial support in order to provide our students and staff with the highest quality teaching and learning experiences, facilities and instructional materials is an extraordinary asset.

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Dr. Theron J. Schutte is superintendent of the Marshalltown Community School District.