Fairview Parks Advocates for Preparedness and Progress group launches community-based Be the Change initia – cleveland.com

FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- One tenet of the Fairview City Schools vision is to learn differently. That aligns perfectly with the districts parent-based group Advocates for Preparedness and Progress (APP) motto of Learn how to Learn.

Were just a group of parents and citizens who really support that voice to increase awareness on education, said APP co-founder Jill Archambeau, who has two children in the Fairview Park City Schools.

We just want to support 21st century learning, she said.

Its not about regurgitating or memorizing. Twenty-first century learning is about creating the skills how to learn and creating the analytical outline of how to solve the problems. We really want kids to be engaged in their own learning, not because they have to take a test to get a grade but because theyre going to use that information later in life to be successful and to have a rewarding career.

The group promotes 21st century education curriculum within the district through community involvement. This includes its spring virtual project-based-learning initiative Be the Change, which begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday (March 2).

Were going to launch this project, and then well do monthly Zoom meetings to touch base, to inspire ideas, to provide direction and feedback and really encourage everybody who wants to participate, Archambeau said.

The Be the Change community project combines real-life problem-solving and project-based learning.

We want to demonstrate stewardship and for everybody to really take action, Archambeau said.

Fairview High School intervention specialist and APP member Lori Oxley, who has a child at the Early Education Center, hopes community members create something meaningful to them.

We want them to document or monitor their projects with photos that can be included at the end at our innovative showcase presented to the community, Oxley said. We also want them to work in learning pods.

We invite them to couple with their family or a community member or friend they social distance with and create something thats special. We also feel that this project will help empower these individuals to see how change can start small and also grow into something bigger.

Created in 2019, APP early on scheduled quarterly meetings, sponsored educational documentary movie nights and held College Now presentations.

Archambeau said the hope is the group can return to its original goal as the world slowly returns to normal. APP membership is at roughly 30 community members, but the hope is to grow interest.

Wed love to see this group grow into other local districts as well, Oxley said.

Superintendent Bill Wagner said APP has been very helpful over the past few years, not only sharing information with other parents about 21st century learning but also explaining why education looks so different compared to when they went to school.

Its truly a group that is for parents, by parents, Wagner said. They pull together information and resources and help other parents navigate and understand the rapidly changing educational landscape that exists today.

If parents are looking for how to best support their children in this highly digital and information-rich age, the APP group can help.

Read more news from the Sun Post Herald.

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Fairview Parks Advocates for Preparedness and Progress group launches community-based Be the Change initia - cleveland.com