by Patrician A. Scheyer

Bellevue Mayor Ed Riehl came to the Bellevue Board of Education meeting last Wednesday night to talk about a meeting with the juniors and seniors from Bellevue High school who have taken their first semester of courses at Gateway Community & Technical College. The mayor wanted to get the students' input on potential projects that could be initiated to improve the city.

The results of the collaborative effort will again be discussed in the second semester of the classes when the students will spend time on community projects every Friday morning. Both the mayor and Superintendent Robb Smith said that they believe it is important to connect the students with a sense of time and place, and that that sense is as important as any finished projects.

During his report, Smith told the board about his meeting with the same students to get their feedback on the experience of going to college while in high school. There were 79 A's and B's out of 105 grades given. In talking to the students, the biggest issues they felt they had were juggling their schedules, time management, study habits, and ownership of the learning. Students felt that one course, academic writing, was one they universally felt strongly about, and that is one subject that the school is focusing on.

"Writing is thinking," said Smith. "Great writing is from deeper thinking. One of our core values is to help our students secure a future. Meaningful thought and the ability to convey that thought through writing or speaking is vital to our students' success."

Both Smith and the board are happy to be collaborating with the city and helping the students have a say in their city's future.

"Our city and school are intertwined," said Smith. "This is one of the many reasons Bellevue is a special place. I am connected with alumni from the 40's and 50's, and I feel their love for the school district. Black and gold runs deep in our community. I have a responsibility to engage this generation of Tigers in the same way and I'm honored to do so."

The board also approved a district facility plan developed by the Bellevue Independent Local Planning Committee.