LM May 2023

Rural Podcast Q & A ... cont’d. important to recognize that we, as administrative leaders, know there are other individuals just like us. We are not alone. The conversations in cohorts lead to decisions that provide focus for your district. I can’t say enough about what cohorts do not only personally but also professionally. It’s time that many other educators invest in themselves and take part of cohorts just like this. What other books and materials will be used throughout the session? Dugan —We’ll review Why Rural Matters . That book speaks to a lot of rural districts. You’re seeing declining populations, which results in declining enrollment. That presents its own challenges. However, during the pandemic, people realized they could work remotely and live in different places. That means rural is not off the table for some families. In fact, certain types of people find rural very appealing as long as the technology is available. You don’t have to move to Chicago or St Louis anymore. People can stay right in Bunker Hill and make a good living. Another thing is we’ll review a report from the Department of Labor on the rural job market. We’ll also keep track of the latest research and trends. Really, throughout the cohort, I hope that everybody is able to bring their own examples and share their own stories. What are the main takeaways you hope people have when they graduate from the cohort? Dr. Orzel —Larry and Jennifer hit the nail on the head when they talked about the cohort model. I think everyone’s going to walk away and gain great

relationships. They’re going to be able to elevate their game when it comes to reimagining rural because they’ll be equipped with so many more resources. I’ll also add IASA will be providing professional development hours. Dr. Garrison —I’m going to stick with the theme of the cohort. ISAL was the most powerful professional learning I’ve ever experienced. ISAL helped me take my district further than I ever thought possible. I’m going into this cohort with a very open mind as a learner. I know I still have a lot of learning to do, and I hope that the strategic plan that Vandalia implements two to three years from now will be developed by listening to my colleagues. Lovel —I think this is an investment in, not only our school district, but more importantly our students. We’re helping prepare them for gainful employment within our area code but trying to make them gainfully employable in whatever career decision they make. Dugan —There’s excitement in keeping the little pieces of the unknown unscripted. There are things that can happen organically whenever you bring 25 dedicated people together. It’s important to be open and see what direction we take. Some topics we might spend two hours virtually on and other topics we might spend 5 minutes. A lot will be determined by the people who register and share their voice.

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LM May 2023