Pupils will prepare for their future jobs

By: Linda Seida – Staff Writer
STOCKTON – The theme at Stockton Public School this year is "careers of the future."
"We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that haven’t been invented, in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet," Chief School Administrator Suzanne Ivans told parents in her summer newsletter.
While no one knows what the jobs of the future will be, students will be prepared for whatever career they choose to tackle by learning new technology, and also being able to access information, no matter where or how it is stored, according to Ms. Ivans.
Children today must learn problem-solving skills, become innovators, be flexible and become comfortable working within a group, she said. To get there, they must hone their social skills. "In the real world, interpersonal skills are very important," she said.
"Communication skills are huge," and with them, "you can be successful in a variety of jobs."
Thanks to funds raised by the school’s PTO and a grant from the Lambertville Area Education Foundation, students in grades three to six will be learning on new Apple laptops.
With the right equipment, children today can speak with their counterparts on the other side of the world, sharpening their foreign language skills or learning about another culture, and those are only a few things they can do with technology in the classroom. "It’s an exciting time," Ms. Ivans said. "It’s kind of like the classroom walls are transparent."
In concert with its three neighboring school districts – Lambertville Public School, West Amwell Elementary School and South Hunterdon Regional High School – Stockton will take part in a joint training session Oct. 1 to teach teachers about 21st century technology. The workshop will enable them to return to the classroom ready to impart new skills to their students and fellow teachers. Stockton also is looking for parent volunteers to come in and discuss with students how their jobs have changed since they started working. A local author, for example, will visit the school to discuss publishing. Texts are no longer available only as hard copy, but also on the Internet, via Kindle, cell phones, etc.
Another parent will talk about his experience working in a wellness center, which developed out of his father’s physical therapy practice in Lambertville.
Years ago, the emphasis wasn’t as much on remaining well as it was on treating injury and disease.
"It’s really learning how things have changed," Ms. Ivans said.
Stockton’s 40 students will return to school Wednesday (Sept. 8).