For Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain, the 2022-23 school year has been one with considerable challenges, as the school system looks to the next school year to improve upon what was not a very promising “report card” by the Rhode Island Department of Education, a school building project that faces financial challenges, and an effort to merge schools with neighboring Middletown that Newport voters rejected.
Jermain joins WhatsUpNewp today (Wednesday) at 1:30 p.m. for her monthly WUN videocast. We’ll want the superintendent to assess the 2022-23 school year, the outlook for the coming year, and what she sees as the system’s greatest challenges.
We’ll look for an update on Rogers High School construction, how well the school system is coping with growing mental health challenges, and projections for a teacher shortage.
Forbes Magazine and Edvocate have produced lists of the greatest challenges educators will face in 2023. We’ll see if Jermain agrees. Here are some of the challenges that Forbes and Edvocate foresee:
- In the classroom, Forbes says that artificial intelligence is found in the form of virtual assistants, in remote and online learning systems, and more. AI, it says, has the potential to help tackle some of the toughest challenges in education today, but could be disruptive and contribute to some inequities in the classroom.
- Growth in vocational and technical courses, preparing students for future paths “that lead to places other than traditional college courses.”
- Teaching human skills, including communication skills, teamworking, creative thinking, interpersonal problem solving, relationship management, and conflict resolution. Forbes says: “They will become increasingly important in a world where AI takes on many of our routine and mundane technical responsibilities.”
- Edvocate says access to quality education is among the biggest challenges in 2023, especially for underprivileged communities.
- Economic limitations for families that struggle with putting food and shelter ahead of education.
- Teacher retention.
- Funding concerns and political interference.
- Mental health concerns.
And many more.
