New CR superintendent should be innovative, collaborative and community focused

First, I want to congratulate David Benson on a job well done as superintendent of the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

He took the position in the wake of some of this community's most trying times. Despite the challenges created by the flood and the recession, his leadership guided the district through the rough patches. I wish him well in his future endeavors, and for a great and relaxing retirement.

Kirkwood Community College's highest priority is student success, and we look forward to working with Benson's successor. In just a few years, the overall educational landscape has evolved; gone are the days of the basic community college model, where we geared our efforts solely toward those who had already graduated high school.

As we all know, different people learn in different ways. In order to ensure that we put students in the best possible position to reach their highest potential, we must reach students at many levels, to meet them where they are academically and help them to the next step - wherever that may be. This requires an educational approach that is innovative, collaborative and focused on community needs.

Kirkwood's relationships with our K-12 partners have evolved as the educational needs of the Creative Corridor have changed. The college's regional centers are shining examples of the great things these partnerships can accomplish. In the case of the Cedar Rapids Community School District, the Linn County Regional Center is ground zero for amazing things.

Every day of the school year, busloads of students from all over the school district arrive at the doors of the center in Hiawatha for a cutting edge educational experience. They learn in state-of-the-art lab spaces designed give them real world, hands-on experiences, with curriculum relevant to the local job market. In addition, Kirkwood's Workplace Learning Connection helps high school students connect to job shadows and internships with local business and industry.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect for Cedar Rapids Community School District students is the chance to earn college credit while in high school, at no cost to them. Over the past few years, Corridor families have saved millions of dollars on college tuition because of these programs.

None of these things could happen without Kirkwood's partnership with the Cedar Rapids School District. This relationship is crucial to ensuring the success of our students in the 21st century.

I'm looking forward to developing a relationship with the new superintendent who follows in Dr. Benson's footsteps. As our goals are one in the same, continuing to cultivate a forward-thinking vision for education in Cedar Rapids will guarantee a bright future for the city and the Creative Corridor as a whole.

' Mick Starcevich, President of Kirkwood Community College since 2005, previously taught mathematics, served as an assistant principal, principal and superintendent in Iowa schools for more than 30 years. Comments: Mick.Starcevich@kirkwood.edu