We speak with Dr. Peter Hughes, superintendent of New Jersey’s Cresskill School District, an affluent New York City suburb with large Korean and Israeli communities, about respecting disparate cultures while centering individual students’ interests, talents, and needs. We discuss effective means of communicating with bicultural parents and inclusive strategic planning. How can schools prepare students for joyful futures where they also serve others and are impactful on the world around them?
Overview
00:00-00:16 Intros
00:16-01:47 Cresskill demographics
01:47-03:31 Engaging with parents in a multilingual community
03:31-05:04 Cultural differences in families’ relationships with the schools
05:04-07:32 Special education classification
07:32-12:09 What are parents looking for?
12:09-13:54 Stresses and issues for young people in a wealthy/professional community
13:54-17:51 Project-based learning and assessment
17:51-20:50 Incorporating ethics and “citizenship” in the classroom
20:50-26:09 Should schools instill values?
26:09-28:23 Making a difference
28:23-29:56 Student passions and “more inclusive vision of what students can do and bring to this world”
29:56-32:47 District’s education budget
32:47- Outro
Transcript
Click here to see the full transcription of this episode.
Soundtrack by Poddington Bear
Image twitter.com/CresskillBOE