Third, I have heard from a number of College employees who have children. You have provided me diverse and, in some cases, contradictory perspectives on issues related to education and child care in Grinnell. Some of you feel that our various preschool options are not what is needed and unambitious. Others feel that the providers are doing a valiant job in the face of very difficult financial and other pressures. It is in the College's and community's best interest to have a very fine public school system.
Public schools are the only option for most of our parents.
Therefore, these schools need to be both of high quality and capable of handling a diverse group of children in terms of their economic, familial, and educational situations. In addition, the College has funded a limited high school teacher sabbatic program for several years. Under this program one or two teachers come to the College for a term and are supported by us, in part, because the school system has no sabbatic program and very limited staff development funds. This provides a solid staff development opportunity for high school teachers who otherwise would not have the time or resources to undertake it. The College has funded the purchase of computers for one of the high school's computer labs.