No.6 Learning from the Form of 'Civic Pride'

( Education of Inagi City 'Yale' September 15, Issue 2 published )

Learning from the form of 'Civic Pride'

Every day, we feel the warm support from the community and citizens towards schools and children. This time, I would like to first introduce two recent events I encountered.

On July 16, 2024, the Board of Education held the "First Training and Liaison Meeting for the Chairpersons of School Management Councils for Fiscal Year 2024." The chairpersons of the school management councils (hereinafter referred to as "councils") from each school exchanged information about the operation of their respective councils and discussed the nature of the councils. We would like to share some reports from the council chairpersons on that day, as well as some of the comments made during the group discussions.

"We are considering how what the children are learning now will be utilized in the future at the council." "We are discussing 'club activities', 'work style reform', and 'school refusal'." "We want to increase opportunities to utilize the skills of local people, such as in English learning." "I believe it is the council's duty to connect the thoughts of the community and the school." "We have established a 'LINE consultation window' for students and parents." "Inagi City has a system in place to welcome new people. The council will play a role in accepting 'new winds'." "I want to work closely with the principal to reform the school."

Each of your comments is based on the perspectives and ideas unique to those who live in the community and are active in society, and furthermore, they were energetic cheers to firmly support the operation of schools by leveraging the power of the council. Additionally, we received multiple voices of deep agreement with the management policies of each school principal.

The "School Management Council" is established based on the "Law on the Organization and Administration of Local Education" and refers to schools that have set up a School Management Council, which are called community schools. It is a system in which parents and local residents participate in school management with certain authority and responsibility. Its main roles include: "approving the basic policy for school management," "being able to express opinions regarding school management," and "being able to express opinions regarding the appointment of school faculty and staff." In Inagi City, on April 1, 2022, the "School Management Council" was established in 18 public schools, and all schools became community schools. Furthermore, regarding the council members, the "Regulations on the Establishment of School Management Councils in Inagi City Public Schools" stipulates that 5 to 10 members will be appointed by the Board of Education upon the recommendation of the principal, consisting of local residents, parents, community school collaboration promoters, and the principal.

In this way, the "School Management Council" is an organization that discusses and deliberates on the educational activities and management of schools. Currently, the nationwide implementation rate is 52.3% for public schools (data for the 5th year of Reiwa, announced by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). However, it has been noted that "there are formal school management councils where sufficient discussions are not taking place" and "there are cases where formal reports from schools are the main focus" (Final Summary of the Study Group on the Nature of Community Schools, March 2022, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), indicating the need for further qualitative improvement. In this national context, the School Management Council in our city is actively engaged in discussions with the attitude of specifically solving issues related to school management, going beyond the "approval of basic policies" and "opinions on school management." I have deep respect and gratitude for the committee members who are actively discussing while sharing their respective "areas of expertise."

2 I have had the opportunity to attend various meetings in the city since taking office as the Superintendent of Education. In this context, I have often heard a strong message directed at local business operators from Yoshihiko Narabe, the President of the Inagi City Commerce and Industry Association, stating that despite the difficult situation of the "COVID-19 pandemic" and the "post-COVID era," we should move forward with the vibrant civic pride of Inagi City to create new business opportunities. Additionally, at various meetings, I have learned a great deal from the thoughts and strategies of local business operators regarding business development. Through these encounters, I have come to hold the desire to create opportunities for the children of Inagi to directly learn the "entrepreneurial spirit" from those who are developing businesses in our city. Therefore, at the end of last fiscal year, with the kind support of President Narabe, I consulted about expanding new host businesses for the Inagi City Public Schools' "work experience" program, and I received many positive responses from Inagi City Commerce and Industry Association members for implementation in the 2024 fiscal year. In advance, I also received comments such as, "We are looking forward to the work experience. We have created a special workshop program." The guidance backed by the insights of entrepreneurs and business owners will be a valuable learning experience for the children, and I am very grateful for it.

What is common among the members of the School Management Council and the workplaces accepting job experience is a strong will to improve the school, the children, Inagi City, and society as a whole, based on the perspective of "living in the community and being part of society." Indeed, seeing this "civic pride" up close, I am filled with hope that the children of our city will also cultivate and refine their own "civic pride."

In addition, the examples introduced here are recent new collaborations, and the education in our city has long received strong support from the community and parents or guardians. We feel the accumulation of support from many people, including those who provide guidance for experiential learning such as pear and grape cultivation and rice farming, those who have already accepted workplace experiences, and members of the community education council, PTA, and school support concierge, is spreading to even more people and leading to new support.

Once again, I would like to express my gratitude for your support amidst your busy schedules with your main business and to connect everyone's strength and presence to the cultivation of creators of a sustainable society equipped with the spirit of 'Civic Pride'.

Director of Inagi City Board of Education, Makiko Sugimoto