THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 3, 1995 TAG: 9508010167
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
Few aspects of American life are as crucial to the nation's political and economic future as the education of its children. And, in recent years, few topics have been more hotly debated than the way schools should go about providing education.
Parents, teachers, politicians and taxpayers often find themselves at odds with one another, all the while seeking an answer to a common question: How can we make schools better?
Communities throughout the country are attempting to bring greater focus to the search for solutions.
To help push that process forward in Hampton Roads, The Virginian-Pilot is working with the nonprofit, nonpartisan Community Networking Association.
The goal is to get a broad cross-section of the region's residents talking with each other about the community's role in the schooling of its children. The project is called ``Citizen Challenge: How Can We Improve Education?''
As the conversations unfold, The Virginian-Pilot will report what citizens hope for their children's education and how they wrestle with the choices the community faces in meeting those aspirations. The project will explore broad directions - not partisan political solutions - for education.
The paper also will invite readers to join in the deliberation, even if they cannot participate directly in the discussion groups.
We are seeking up to 150 volunteers interested in moderating discussion sessions. Training for moderators is scheduled Aug. 10-12. Other training dates may be available in September. Participants, organized in groups of 10 to 12 people, will meet for seven weekly study sessions beginning in October. by CNB