By David Jackson Forever Communications
Paris, Tenn.–At Tuesday night’s meeting of the Paris Special Schools District board, Inman Middle School Principal Jason Scarbrough and Paris-Henry County Industrial Board Executive Director Rob Goad presented a new program designed to help prepare students to enter the workforce.
Scarbrough said the program is the result of an idea Goad pursued after considerable discussion and fact-gathering from local industries and companies in our community.
The program will be a year-long effort but as Goad also pointed out an effort that will only be effective after years of continuing progress.
“Workforce development is the heaviest part of economic development”, Goad said, “and there’s not a quick fix.” According to the data in 1957 all youngsters 16-19 years of age entered the workforce but gradually over the years, 60% in 1979, 31% in 1988 and today only 15% are ready.
Goad said, “I’m certainly not pointing a finger at our schools systems, I think they are doing a great job.” He did point fingers at social changes that have taken place over the same period of time. Single parent homes, poverty and other social problems have played a big role as well.
The program that he and Scarbrough are putting together is called Employability Counts. Many of the details are still in progress but are built on eight key elements that industrial leader have said they want to see in the workforce. Each of those will be addressed month by month. Teamwork, Perseverance, Time Management, Communication, Adaptability, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Accountability will become monthly components leading to a Culminating Project in April.
In other action by the school board the board adopted a Bereavement Policy with change of Sick Leave Policy. In the past sick leave had been tied to bereavement the new policy separates.
The main item on the PSSD agenda was discussion of a mask policy for the schools. As we reported Tuesday night, the school board unanimously approved a mask requirement for all buildings and buses, with an opt-out clause which follows the Governor’s Executive Order.
Photo: Rob Goad, standing, speaks about the Employability Counts program, while Jason Scarbrough, foreground, and Technology Director Joey Brush look on. (David Jackson photo).