Strong schools and workforce need community support

A strong economy requires a strong education system to build future generations of workers to help grow and innovate our regional businesses. A strong education system requires strong leadership to support it; leadership that is committed to our region and collaboration in our community. Strong leadership for schools comes in many forms. School superintendents and administrators, educators and vocational trainers, community organizations, parents and guardians, and district residents need to work together to help create a system where all kinds of students can thrive.

The Greater Rochester region has worked hard over many years to build the support and trust of individuals in many of these roles and we are still working hard to shape a better future. We have superintendents that are committed to representing their students and districts – for example, Brian Neenan from Webster Central School District sits on the Greater Rochester Chamber Board of Directors on behalf of the Monroe County Council of Superintendents, and we are eager to welcome and work with Dr. Eric Jay Rosser as the new superintendent of Rochester City School District starting this summer. And, we have over 15,000 professional staff in our public school districts across the region – totaling to the second largest employer in our community – who are all working to support student success and create opportunities.

There are many groups within Greater Rochester that are committed to supporting education initiatives, including the A Community Together (ACT) for Education coalition, an initiative by public schools in the Monroe One and Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES districts, the Rochester City School District, area businesses, and community members. ACT works to build support within our community to showcase the value of public education and strengthen our public schools to enable better support for students.

Our BOCES districts play an important role in both this initiative and in our entire education system. Providing career training programs and opportunities for students to connect with real businesses is imperative to our continued success. There is a shortage of skilled trades in our region and these kinds of college alternatives represent real opportunities for young adults to connect to meaningful employment directly out of high school. Businesses like Bob Johnson Auto Group, M&T Bank, Campus Construction, and many others are investing in their future workforce by having a partnership with their local school district – providing training, mentoring, transportation, and more to students who engage and want to be a part of their teams.

From building a custom program to taking on high school interns, there are many ways for businesses to get involved. I would encourage any business leaders to reach out to local school districts to find opportunities for collaboration. Greater Rochester Chamber has seen firsthand the benefit high school students can bring to a business as we have hosted Summer of Opportunity interns through the City of Rochester for the past several years.

For parents, guardians, or any resident in our region: a clear and easy opportunity to support public education is coming up. On Tuesday, May 20, we all have an opportunity to vote in the school budget and board elections. This is a chance to model the values and civic duty we want current students to adopt. Throughout my career, I have consistently seen low voter turnout for these races, as low as 10%, in spite of their vital importance for the future of our community. While school board and budget votes may not get the media attention of Federal, State, or even other local elections, they have longstanding impacts. The values and leadership of school boards and the funding they receive directly shape the ways students learn and the opportunities students and staff alike are provided.

There is nothing more important than our children and preparing them for successful lives and careers. Your vote matters, and if you don’t vote, don’t complain. When voting, consider what do you want for your children? I would encourage you to look for candidates that support strong partnerships, including those with local businesses. Evaluate your district’s budget proposal as a way to ensure the next generation of workers has the preparation they need to be successful in our rapidly changing world of work. The future trajectory of our children, our economy, and our region depend on you – make sure you act accordingly.