Nearly one hundred parents, business leaders, elected officials, and community members gathered at the Wicomico Civic Center on March 31, 2022 for the SACC Community Forum On Education hosted by the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and the SACC Education Committee. The forum highlighted areas that impact the public and private education institutions in our region.
SACC Education Committee Chair, Dr. Ladd Colston, introduced the two panels of educators, health professionals, clergy, and parents who covered a variety of timely topics including the challenges faced by students, teachers, and parents during the pandemic, new opportunities for students pursuing non-traditional career paths, and two or four-year higher education pathways.
The first panel, Students-Parents-Teachers: Learning & Achieving in Crisis included panelists Jessica Emhoff, Parent of three Wicomico County Public School students; Melissa Schock, Public School Teacher at Wicomico High School; Dr. Samantha L. Scott, Psychologist at The Child & Family Center (Salisbury and Easton); Rev. Martin Hutchison, Pastor, Community of Joy Church, and Community Impact Associate at United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore; and Dr. Katherine Layton, Pediatrician at TidalHealth Peninsula Hospital.
Mayor Jake Day delivered a virtual keynote address on Maryland’s Blueprint Initiative and Wicomico’s Priorities. Mayor Day implored the attendees to embrace, “the existential commitment we owe our students to grow to be good citizens with access to the best educational resources.”
The Career Planning & Career Employment on the Shore presentation included panelists Jayme Hayes, President & CEO, Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore, Inc.; Bryan Ashby, Supervisor of Career & Technical Education, Wicomico County Public Schools; Dr. Deirdra G. Johnson, Dean of Enrollment Management & Student Services at Wor-Wic Community College; Dr. Theresa V. Queenan, Director of Career & Professional Development at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), and Dr. Laurie A. Henry, Dean of the Seidel School of Education at Salisbury University (SU).
Attendees were asked to provide feedback and suggestions by completing and submitting the SACC Community Forum Parent and Citizen Education Survey.
Sustainable-Visions, LLC. will provide survey data analyses and results will be shared through the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and media outlets.
Further details and a full-length video recording will be available for those who were unable to attend, along with an opportunity to submit feedback through the online survey. For more information contact the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce at 410-749-0144 or email chamber@salisburyarea.com.
