PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
No Dummies Allowed
In 2017 an article appeared in The New York Times entitled “Why Kids Can’t Write”. The article focused on a myriad of reasons why 21st century students have difficulty expressing themselves properly in the written word. Seventy-five percent of 12th and 8th graders lack proficiency in writing according to the most recent National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Forty percent of students who sat for the ACT writing exam lacked writing skills necessary to successfully complete a college level English composition class. Why? Reasons ranged from a lack of emphasis on writing in schools to the electronic social media frenzy distracting students and teachers alike. Pick your poison.
Closer to home, a recent marketing expert (so-called) commented to our faculty and staff regarding our website “You have too much text. There is too much writing. You need more pictures.” We were advised that people tend to scroll by the written words and messages only viewing the pictures or streaming video. Even my opening article on the website came under scrutiny “too many words” was the comment. Oh, well. If at this point in this article you are struggling with attention span issues, get up and walk around. Perhaps enjoy a favorite beverage, but please return to read the entirety of this article.
Outside of attending church regularly, the most important habit a parent can instill in a child is reading. The second most important is writing. Role modeling reading and writing is a significant step in influencing a child’s academic success. Children emulate parental habits which, as we all know, can be both good and bad. We at Lutheran High will continue to emphasize reading and writing as crucial elements of academic achievement. We will choose not to “dummy down” our educational product by just showing pictures and videos. We believe our students deserve better and greater challenges leading to greater opportunities for future success.
Lutheran High students score well above average in reading and writing and our plan is for this trend to continue. In fact, we pride ourselves in this achievement. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are indeed crucial elements in formative education as well. Our curriculum has expanded in recent years to include more courses in these areas. But the ability to read, write, and communicate effectively doubles down on any other acquired skills attained in one’s educational journey. Employability continues to depend on a variety of skills blended together to make one a desirable member of a team.
Please continue to read, write, and encourage others to do the same. Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat will be here tomorrow. So, there will be time to tune back in and not miss a friend’s latest irrelevant post, picture, or comment. Escape the irrelevancy of life and read. Read to learn, to enjoy, to escape, and to live again.
Blessings
Dr. Cary Stelmachowicz