From the Desk of the Superintendent...
January 24, 2021
FEBRUARY 2021 DISTRICT DISPATCH
In less than a generation, digital technologies have revolutionized how we live, work, learn, and play. During the 1950’s only a few organizations in the world were using computers and they were not computers as we know them today. People did not have them in their homes, much less in their pockets. The computers of the 1950’s were large, slow-acting, and expensive contraptions that were full of tubes and coiled wires. In the 1960’s the United States government commissioned research into improving communications between academic and military facilities using networks of computers and by the 1980’s a prototype of today’s Internet, called ARPANET, was doing just that. In the last thirty years, the Internet has evolved into the most dynamic system of communication humankind has ever known.
To be sure, there are numerous benefits related to all of this connectivity. Digital networks are wonderful resources for work, leisure, creativity, and collaboration. There is massive potential for learning and education. However, there are some significant problems, too. One is the torrent of information that gorges the Internet night and day through countless blogs, websites, promotions, campaigns, and personal pages on every conceivable topic and from every possible point of view. Before the Internet, published material was usually subject to at least some level of informed editorial review. Now that people can “publish” whatever they want to, it is often difficult to know what is true or false…real or fake. Searching the Internet can be like panning for gold; you need to be careful where you look, cast a very critical eye on what you find, and have some way of verifying it. Critical thinking skills and a healthy level of informed skepticism are just as important now as they were in years gone by. In fact, I believe that conveying this message to our students is one of the most important things we can do in the digital age.
This past December we lost two devoted supporters of the Underwood Community School District. Long-time teacher and school board member, Julie Handbury, and 1954 alumnus, loyal booster, and insightful facility committee member, Richard Torneten, passed away shortly before Christmas. Their supportive presence and positive outlook on life will be missed in our school community. Thank you, Julie and Richard, for your conscientious commitment to helping make the future of our school district bright and promising.
Please note that there is no school on Friday, February 19, 2021, because of winter break.
