(Quote from a workshop participant)

Continuous Education Powerpoint Introduction

Summary of the workshop’s vision for Continuous Education on Cape Cod:   In 2020, Cape Cod’s educational system will be characterized by community involvement and a high level of communication in the educational process.   Our educational institutions will include curricula designed to promote problem solving and creative thinking, which in turn will result in better solutions.   The Cape will have a diverse economy and housing alternatives that allow people of all incomes to reside on the Cape, which will drive our formal and informal educational needs.

Breakout Group 1 Discussion

Imagine Cape Cod in 2020:    Creative Thinking

• We need increased community involvement in decision-making.
• We need to make better use of what we have by learning to live less wastefully.
• Exposure to creative thinkers and opportunities…must take risks…e.g. internships, service   learning projects, real world opportunities and experimentation.
• We need to emphasize the teaching of values and how to communicate better with each other.
• There is a bottleneck in K-12:   too many things that teachers have to do.   They need smaller classes and more flexibility to teach creatively and to engage students in real problem solving.   Nonprofits, parents, and the community have to get more involved in education.
• Creative thinking leads to better solutions, which entails taking risks.
• We need to remember and learn from history.

Breakout Group 2 Discussion

Imagine our community in 2020:   Are there enough skilled workers to serve the Cape’s growing population? What types of jobs/careers are available and most needed? Do educational opportunities reflect workforce needs?   Are people who can fill those positions able to live on Cape Cod and raise a family?   What does our workforce look like? Do we have a large immigrant community?   Is our economy seasonal?   Are we utilizing the skills and education of our immigrant community?   Are we providing the opportunities to use those skills?

It was noted that there are not enough low-skilled workers now to meet the Cape’s needs, and will not likely be enough in 2020.   The group also discussed the need to provide the heads of young families with the skills that will enable them to earn enough to be able to live on Cape Cod.   It was noted that in 2020, our population will likely be older and will therefore be consumers of services.

It was noted that the Cape has two types of needs:   1) workers to fill positions that provide services and 2) economic diversity to provide a range of opportunities; for example, the Cape can be a leader in developing environmental solutions for existing and future environmental problems, which can then serve as a model for other communities.

It was noted that self sufficiency is both personal (i.e. income related), as well as community based (i.e. what individuals can provide to increase the self-sufficiency of the community).

It was noted that there are many ways to provide good educational opportunities to increase the skill level of residents, but there will always be a need for low-skilled workers.   Affordable housing is the key to helping this group afford to live

on Cape Cod. The consensus was that the synergistic solution must include affordable housing and cost of living options for the average worker.  It was also noted that increasing land values and zoning requirements present barriers to construction of affordable housing.  

• increase education and housing options
• provide a diversity in our built environment that will provide a diversity of housing types
• change antiquated zoning
• employers could provide seasonal and year-round workforce housing for their employees
• break the cycle of underemployment and seasonal employment

It was noted that people on the Cape are often underemployed because they choose, or need, to live on the Cape for reasons that are not job-related.

The group discussed the types of jobs that Cape Cod would need to be a sustainable region:

• environmental technology
• health care
• financial services and financial managers
• information technology
• assisted living/senior services/social services
• entertainment and recreation
• fishing and maritime
• arts and culture
• basic services such as food, clothing, shelter
• construction
• government
• education (teachers at all levels)
• child education and services
• air/land/sea transportation

The group reframed the breakout question by agreeing that educational needs are not the only driving force determining if people can live on Cape Cod, and that the cost of living and property values limit our ability to provide diversified housing opportunities.   What we need is a two pronged approach: a diverse economy that will drive our educational needs and curricula, as well as educational (formal and informal) and housing alternatives to address low wages.  

Suggested Action Items

• Create flexible and creative ways for parents to be involved in education.
• Involve younger students with non-profit organizations, service learning and hands-on learning internships (which will provide mentor    organizations and support organizations for them).
• Involve younger students in community service, which will give them exposure to life issues, and can lead to career choices.
• More integrated career knowledge at the elementary school level.
• Better communication about what already exists.
• Create better connections between schools, home and community organizations.
• Teach how to think, not just what to think.
• Involve teachers in more training about more things (the hows and whys)
• Teach children how to solve real problems.
• Address the contradiction between “teaching to the test” and preparing students to be critical thinkers.
• Teaching basic life skills; create an environment to spark creative thinking (make it ok to take risks).
• Bring real-life learning opportunities into the classroom (e.g. water quality tool).
• Look at full day for learning (school time and out of school time).
• Identify ways to “test” creative thinking.
• Promote the aret in K-12.
• Focus on “keeping the imagination alive”.
• Encourage connections between classroom subjects, the integration of arts, and creativity in all areas – which will provide more challenges.

Suggested Indicators of Progress

• Indicator of parent involvement (PTOs) and community involvement (town meetings, etc.) that would measure the importance residents place on education/involvement, for all age groups.
• Commuting times that would reflect less time for community involvement.
• Educational attainment rates broken down by groups (High School, 2-year, 4-year etc.)
• Personal income versus cost of living.
• Age of town leaders:   the younger the greater the interest in community involvement.
• The number of creative and critical thinking curricula and programs in elementary schools
• The percentage of public investment that goes toward education
• How much private money is being spent on education and child-care
• The number of arts programs, from elementary school through high school
• The number of alternative schools
• The number of home schoolers
• The number of technology and innovative businesses on Cape Cod
• The number of Cape Cod High School graduates who start their own business on Cape Cod.
• How many High School graduates are still living here 5 years after graduation and 10 years after graduation.