STATE OF MORONGO BASIN: EDUCATION

The superintendent of the Morongo Unified School District, and Copper Mountain College, both spoke at the State of the Morongo Basin event Thursday afternoon. Managing editor Tami Roleff says both men stressed the importance of education for students… Morongo Unified School District Superintendent Tom Baumgarten said the most critical thing the school district needs isn’t new text books or computer. “If you ask me what would be the most critical need of our district, is a significant role model in every child’s life; we need well-educated communities for back bone, so when they graduate, this becomes their home.” Baumgarten said the school district is investing in the Morongo Basin’s future. “I’m building a system that will provide your workers, your leaders, your council members, and I tell these students, I need a president from the Morongo Basin.” Copper Mountain College President Jeff Cummings said that while the college is working hard to make sure students have a seamless transition between high school and college, it faces challenges. “The challenge of being part of a small rural college is we’re not as elastic as larger community colleges. When we aren’t able to offer all the classes we would like to because of limited funding, then those students find other ways to get an education.” He added when only 25 percent of the college’s students are able to complete their degree in a timely manner, setting a goal of 100 percent student success is a daunting goal.