What does buying a car have to do with a school district’s
mission and public relations?
A weary odometer and the beleaguered groans of my Subaru
Forester convinced me it was time to buy a new car. I was approaching
retirement and opted to reward myself by upgrading to an Outback, Subaru’s
premium vehicle. I visited the local dealership, the one I drove by ever day on
my route to school.
The large sign at the front of the dealership proclaimed
SUBARU, though the vehicles that lined the entrance were products of a variety
of domestic manufacturers, from a used Corvette to a couple of different pick-up
trucks. I would later learn this collection included loaner cars as well.
An all too eager salesperson greeted me outside before I was
halfway to the showroom. After I expressed my interest in a new Outback, he
shepherded me past the four rows of used Subaru cars on the side of the
building, along a gravel path and through some mud as we made our way up the
slope to the rear of the building to the shiny new vehicles, and finally to their
most expensive model, the Outback (since surpassed in price by the Ascent since this blog was generated). He apologetically explained that the
construction on the new showroom consumed the former lot and displaced the new
cars until the transition from old building to new building was completed.
I decided to buy a new Outback at the next closest Subaru
dealership. Not long after, the dealership I originally visited announced they
were operating under new ownership. Within weeks the transformation was
complete. New Subarus were featured in the front rows, used Subarus followed,
and loaners and domestic used cars were at the back end – a pattern aligned
with the business they were in – selling new Subaru vehicles.
What does this have to do with schools?
If I drove twenty-five miles east of my house I would cross
the attendance areas of four different school districts. Interestingly, each of
these school systems mark their boundaries with prominently located signs on
the main arteries weaving through the community proudly noting the athletic
accomplishments of their respective districts. The first district greets people
with a sign pointing out their state Football championships (4); the second
district lists state titles in Baseball (3), Softball (2), and Cross-Country (7);
continuing eastward and drivers will learn that the next district earned state
championships in Field Hockey (2); and finally, the fourth school district
boasts state titles in Ice Hockey (1) and Cross-Country (22). The sum of these
signs reveals great athletic achievements in the region. Congratulations are in
order for the coaches, athletes and supporters of these teams in their pursuit
of excellence.
The National Association of Secondary School Principals and
others have long noted the positive link between participation in sports (and
extracurricular activities in general) with success as measured in grade point
average, attendance patterns, behavior in school, and college aspirations.
What are you advertising? What are you selling?
At a time when public schools are under siege by
conservative fiscal practices at the national and state levels,
well-intentioned but often misguided policy makers, expanded numbers of Charter
schools, private and parochial schools, and an ever-increasing number of
children receiving home-instruction – what are we doing to inform our community
members and taxpayers to ward off these threats to the future of public
schools? All too frequently, we are
erecting signs listing state championships at the entrance to our attendance
areas for passers-by to bear witness; and filling up trophy cases in the
lobbies of our high schools broadcasting our athletic prowess to visitors. These accomplishments are relatively hollow in the sense that less than one half of the population of a typical secondary school participate in athletics. What about the accomplishments of the non-athletes? Are they not valued merely because they operate outside of the spotlight created by the sports sections of the local newspapers? Because crowds do not attend math classes and throngs of people fail to show up at science lab demonstrations? Because academic medals and banners are not routinely awarded other than at graduation ceremonies?
Visitors to the high school in Cooperstown, New York cannot enter the campus without noticing the large sign at the entrance that provides data on the attendance rate, achievement levels, and other important data on the outgoing senior class. This sign clearly indicates what the school values and what they represent. This is a much better manner of introduction and a more comprehensive view of their goals. One can easily determine that Cooperstown High School is in the business of teaching and learning.
What business is pursued at the school where you contribute your time and effort?
