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systems are having problems, but, they seem to be magnified in large school systems.
“We left careers in Virginia Beach and chose to move to a more desirable area to raise a child,” he said.
As an employer in the. store and as a member of the fire department he sees some of the weaknesses of the school system. He said his employees who are high school students rarely seem to have homework to do. When they graduate too many of them lack the skills and motivation to try to solve problems without extensive direction. “Students coming out now don’t seem to be well enough prepared for what they will face in today’s world,” he said. “Part of the problem is attitude. There are not a lot of requirements put on them.” He said some are well prepared for the work world, but many are not.
He also sees that many young people are poorly prepared for managing money. In the fire department he sometimes sees young men 19 years old who get jobs paying as much as $22,000 a year. “Within 18 months they are up to their ears in debt,” he said. He blames this lack of money managing ability for much of the family breakdown society is experiencing. “They are not equipped to deal with their problems. They get frustrated,” He even sees these problems leading to domestic violence. The resulting separations and violence make the situation worse, he noted.
He hopes to use his position as a School Board member to develop programs to better prepare students for the world of work and for managing their money. He notes that many of the students who enroll in college don’t finish and need to be prepared for work and money management also.
He feels the county has an advantage in having one of the smallest school systems in the state. Without the large bureaucracy of larger school systems, “We can be innovative,” he said. “We can implement programs quicker, and if they don’t work, we can change them. 1 don’t think we should be afraid to try something out of the ordinary.”
Mrs. Massie is stepping down after serving since 1972 on the School Board, since 1977 as its chairman. “I will always be interested in the school system,” she said. “I have served with four superintendents. I have been able to inform them of things that have gone on in the past and help them avoid certain situations.” She said she would be willing to continue to do that and to help out
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