Galesburg High School teacher, Annjannette Foster and Director of Student and Staff Supports, Mindi Ritchie, are currently representing the District as members of the West Central Illinois Rural Schools Collaborative. The focus of this partnership with area colleges and universities, ROE #33, the national Rural Schools Collaborative, as well as local school districts, is to identify ways to grow our educator pool in West Central Illinois.
These meetings will culminate in an action plan outlining how we can work together to bolster teacher pathways in our area. One important element of the final action plan includes offering a strong program that introduces high school students to the power and potential of a career in education.
Mrs. Foster’s GAVC Introduction to Teaching course at GHS offers students in grades 10-12 this exposure, with topics including the foundations of what being a teacher is all about, the rewards and responsibilities of such, as well as the opportunity to participate in experiential learning and observation of the teaching profession within CUSD #205.
Mrs. Foster shared, “With the help of amazing coworkers, the Regional Office of Education, 29 years of personal experience in the classroom, and some awesome students willing to fit a brand new course into their schedule, Intro to Teaching has become a vehicle through which I can share with my students a little bit about a career that I still love and help them learn from other professionals who inspire others every day."
