Local visionaries gathered April 20 for the 3rd annual Lincoln County School District Leadership Gathering. The group included elected leaders and art and culture representatives. In addition, members of law enforcement, childcare, healthcare, and civic organizations attended.
Hosted by the LCSD Board of Directors, the gathering kicked off with a presentation about District’s accomplishments. Equally important, Board Chair Liz Martin also discussed our current and upcoming challenges.
Group Discussions
After the Board presentation, our community partners were asked to participate in discussions about civil discourse. To that end, how disparate groups and populations can come together to create unity and true partnership for the greater good of all. Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray relayed stories from other districts across Oregon and the country about the rise in hate speech and unruly behavior that is all too common in the news these days.
Then attendees broke into groups and brainstormed for about 30 minutes. During these discussions, several key touch points cropped up: the importance of active listening, taking the time to build trust, and transparency. Additionally, groups talked about how people can acknowledge points of disagreement and focus on common ground.
In talking about ways to overcome these barriers, participants felt it was important to stay informed, vote, volunteer, build community relationships and get involved. Particularly, heritage, arts and culture programs are some of the ways society can come together and share experiences in safe places.
Defining Civil Discourse
After that, a second activity paired people together. The task was to write exactly 25 words on what civil discourse means to them. Some of the responses were:
- “The ability to hear and be heard regardless of our backgrounds, professions, or beliefs. Deeper knowledge and understanding are gained by an inherent openness granted.”
- “The meaning of civic norms is to respect others regardless of beliefs and differences. Be open minded, welcome differing views and have a growth mindset.”
Also, the teams looked at connections between local and regional groups that might be beneficial to synergize our community.
Looking toward the future
In closing, Dr. Gray discussed “Principal for a Day” — a leadership and job shadowing program that LCSD looks to test out during next school year.
What’s more, the Board hopes to hold the Leadership Gatherings twice a year — the annual spring event hosted by LCSD and a fall gathering hosted by one of our partner organizations.
Thank you to all our community partners who attended this event! Together, we support our students, each other and strengthen our entire community.
