Educating the Whole Child, All Children, for the 21st Century

By Dexter Louie

We should want all children to do well at activities they love and enjoy. This should be in both academics as well as other areas, including music and the arts, sports, and technology. At the same time, we must prepare our children for the 21st century and a global economy.

The world is changing, society is changing, and the workplace is changing. We need innovation and we need 21st century learning skills, not just to keep up, but to lead. In this global economy, our children need contemporary skills, the ability to think globally, creatively, and effectively. Our children need to develop good communication skills, critical thinking skills, and team-building skills.

The Moraga School District is in the top 1% of elementary school districts in California. Over the years, we have all worked hard to achieve this, with input and resources from many stakeholders. We have solid curricula in all our schools, programs for at risk students, technology for all. Parents volunteer both in class and outside of class. MEF and PTA provide significant financial support. Teachers are actively involved in a broad range of extracurricular activities for students. Staff provides strong infrastructure, from finance to facilities, textbooks to technology, and libraries to playgrounds. Our special needs students and English Language learners are an integral part of our planning, never an afterthought. I am proud to have been a part of this for the past 14 years.