School Officials Talk Business With Chamber of Commerce

Osseo School District 279 Superintendent Kate Maguire joined Keith Lester—her counterpart from Brooklyn Center School District 286—on Thursday morning to talk to the North Hennepin Area Chamber of Commerce about the role of high school students in business.

Issuing a message that was largely positive, Maguire cited several reasons why she is enthusiastic about what the school systems are doing to help students achieve their goals—both in college and the workplace.  

“The work of schools today is of higher quality than ever before,” Maguire said. “We have much higher articulated standards for what we want kids to do when they leave school.” 

Schools in flux

Maguire also lauded the elevated levels of accountability and staff training that contribute to scholastic excellence in Osseo Area Schools.

“Osseo schools have about 21,000 kids and, last spring, those kids were given 55,000 tests that were either state level mandated or local assessments,” Maguire said.

While Lester agreed with Maguire’s overall message, his was a somber note about the work that still needs to be done.   

“Every child comes to school with barriers. Those barriers can be poverty, abuse, chemicals or even an abscessed tooth,” Lester said. “One of our biggest challenges is how do we work with kids, families and communities to break down those barriers.”

Lester added: “We have to strive for excellence for every student, all the time.”

Professional students

After their opening remarks, much of Thursday morning’s discussion focused on how local businesses can help students achieve their goals.

“Kids need to find a passion and sometimes that passion exists outside math and science,” Maguire said, reinforcing the importance of professional goals as well as scholastic ones. “One of the greatest needs of youth today is employment. Students need to see themselves as economically viable.”

In response to what they see as the changing needs of today’s students, both school districts have reevaluated their curricula and methods of instruction.

“I’ve been told the number one thing business people want (from their employees) is the ability to adapt and solve problems,” Lester said. “Our kids need to be ready for college and the workforce.”

“The way we teach is better preparing our kids for a global workplace,” Maguire said, referencing 30 Osseo Area students who travelled to China over the summer.