Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By TOM STANKARD
Bessemer — Students in the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District took a survey conducted by the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development to find out what local students consider assets for their education.
In all, 321 students in the eighth, 10th and 12th grade at Gogebic and Ontonagon schools were surveyed in May.
The surveyor defined assets as key individual or environmental resources that enable and nurture young people to develop in healthy, positive ways.
According to the survey, 72 percent of area students believe their family life provides high levels of love and support.
Bessemer Area School Superintendent David Radovich said “education is a three-legged stool,” consisting of the family, the student and the school. If one of those legs break, he said the stool falls over.
“It is very important that parents buy into the educational process,” Radovich said. “When parents are involved in their child’s education, achievements are higher.”
Ironwood Area School Superintendent Tim Kolesar agreed with Radovich, emphasizing that parents should be asking their child, “what did you learn at school today?”
“The more a family cares, the more effort students will be put in at school,” he said.
Amongst the students surveyed, 39 percent of them indicated that they feel they live in a safe, caring neighborhood.
If a child does not feel safe, Radovich said “they will not learn.”
To improve its security, Radovich said the Bessemer school district plans on updating its security systems as part of the A.D. Johnston expansion project the public can vote on in a referendum in May, 2017.
“This is paramount to keep our kids, staff and visitors safe,” he said.
As an added safety precaution, Radovich said students and staff routinely conducts fire drills, lock down drills and tornado drills.
“Hopefully when we do practice drills, the kids feel more secure,” he said.
Between the six schools in the GOISD, 55 percent of students in the area believe their school has a clear set of rules and consequences.
Radovich said if there are no rules, there’s no common behavior amongst the students.
“Everybody needs rules, regulations and consequences,” he said. “If the kids violate the rules, they know there’s going to be a consequence.”
At the beginning of the year, Kolesar said Ironwood students and staff spend the first few days going over the rules and expectations for the school year. Kolesar said he believes said the rules teach students life long lessons on what it takes to be successful.
Fifty-five percent of students surveyed claimed they spend three or more hours per week participating in sports, clubs or organizations at school and/or in the community.
Kolesar said he would like to see 100 percent of students being involved in extra curricular activities. “When they’re involved, they learn how to perform in a team atmosphere and how to communicate effectively,” he said. “Some of the best students are involved extracurricular activities, Radovich said. He said that’s because it teaches them time management and they are with a group of other kids that have the same goal.
“How a student behaves during activities reflects on their life,” Radovich said.
Throughout the GOISD, 64 percent of students stated in the survey they are optimistic about their future.
In Bessemer, Radovich said last year 100 percent of students graduated and a high percentage of students went on to secondary education and some went on to the military.
Kolesar said he wants students in the GOISD to select a career they’ll be happy with and should take classes that will help them reach that goal.
After students graduate high school, Radovich said he encourages them take their education along with them.