Thompson tells parents the dynamics of future education

By Campbell Lake

   Administrators provided a glimpse into the future of North Cross education to the Parent’s Association on March 31.
   Twenty-two mothers of upper school students congregated in Fishburn Auditorium to witness the announcements regarding potential programs and concepts that could be added to the curriculum. Speakers including college counselor Julie Aavatsmark, Upper School Director Mark Thompson and Headmaster Dr. Christian Proctor spoke of prospective advancements in their field of expertise.
   Throughout all of the new ideas, there was a unified concept of engagement and unique opportunities in and out if the classrooms. Some of the programs that the administration is enthusiastic about include the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT), graphic design, economics courses and STEM-D (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Design) programs that they hope will enhance the inter-connectivity between the classroom and the outside world.
   Thompson discussed the need to have balance in student lives – between highintensity college prep life and sheer happiness. This STEM-D program, a concept that many schools are adopting to improve interdisciplinary education, will most likely be modeled by the ever-growing Global Studies program to display its benefits in connectivity between classroom curriculum and other disciplines.
   “Mr. Thompson explained how the upper school is trying to introduce classes that will be engaging and creative,” said North Cross mother Karen Pruitt, an attendee of the meeting, “it’s all about having the opportunity there and then taking advantage of it.”
   The future Economic and Business electives were a big hit amongst the parents in the audience, which was another concept supporting North Cross’ newfound commitment to creating a connected world for its students to thrive academically and prepare for their lives to come.
   “I’m really looking forward for the students to have numerous opportunities and to be actively and highly in everything they do at North Cross School,” said Thompson of his aspiration for the school’s bright future, “we can continue improving on our strengths and have students participate more in extracurricular activities.”
   Thompson appreciated the attentive audience that day, and the audience equally contributed their own thoughts and ideas through questions and feedback.
   “Of course you have your core classes,” said Pruitt, “but you should go beyond and expand [outside the classroom] and try to get more out of education than what the book teaches you.” 
   Aavatsmark, found the new programs as supplement for college applications.
   “I think all of these new hopeful things that we’re going to do would be helpful in the college admissions progress for the students who do these programs because anything that students can do that’s sort of outside the norm of math, science, English social studies and foreign language, [all of which] you need to do, it makes them a better candidate,” Aavatsmark said. “[They would also be] better students because they’ve had different experiences.”