The highs (and lows)

It’s good to know that our schools are doing their best to stay on the cutting edge, even if it means that sometimes we, as parents, relatives, employers — the community at large — may feel left out of the loop. Let’s hope that only serves as an impetus for us to take the time and energy to learn more about the ever-growing field of technology that surrounds us.This week The Millerton News takes a look at some of the tools our schools are using to keep up with such technology. We’ve discovered that there are all sorts of digital terms and apps to learn — Moodle, Glogster, Wordle, Prezi — that are just the tip of the iceberg. They’re evidence of the new ways our schools are trying to teach our children — reaching out across the digital divide that cropped up at the turn of the century and, unfortunately, left some generations behind. And thank goodness for their efforts! Today’s students will need to know all of that and more if they are to compete on a global stage, where their jobs could just as easily be done by someone on another continent as by someone in another office building. Thanks to technology our world has shrunk … something adults and children alike need to acknowledge.Let’s face it — our children will encounter many new, unimaginable challenges when they graduate into the working world. They need to be prepared, and schools must do whatever they can to arm students with the knowledge and experience to meet such demands.But clearly today’s technological landscape will change through the years; it will be up to our educators to remain constantly vigilant for such shifts. That school districts throughout the Harlem Valley are already tuned in is encouraging. Administrators, teachers, school boards — they should all be lauded for their efforts in prioritizing technology. It is and will remain essential in this nation’s survival as a world leader. Let’s hope funding will remain available for our schools to continue their focus on evolving technology and that the knowledge will be there to support it as well. Despite the hesitancy that might come with some of our dealings with all things digital, it’s high time we set our sights on the future and embrace tomorrow’s technology. Fortunately for us, our schools and, yes, our students, are already setting the pace.