Meet Our New Board Member
We spent a few minutes getting to know Michael McCormick, partner at Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co., LLC and Classroom, Inc.’s new board member.
Why are you involved in educational causes? My wife and I decided to create a foundation that was dedicated to creating incremental benefits to children that would have the potential to significantly impact their lives. As we researched numerous causes, we frequently came back to education. There is a huge and widening gap in the educational development of our children today. Social factors, economics, and faith all play a role in how children learn and grow. If our foundation’s goal is to create the opportunity to steer a child in a positive direction, I am not sure you can find a better area of focus than working to improve the educational process.
What do you believe are the most pressing issues in education that we face today? There are so many and I imagine many people would agree that it cuts across a wide spectrum of issues. Given the current environment, I do believe there is one area to focus on that would have the largest impact on students. It is my belief at the basic core we need to strengthen resources for teachers so they actually have time to teach and focus on student development. When exceptional teachers have the proper tools and resources, they have a better chance to connect with their students. That connection has the potential to make a significant impact on a child’s development. If this occurs not only will it drive scholastic performance but also it will set a path for these students to grow into solid individuals.
As we look to the future, how do you think Classroom, Inc. is uniquely situated to address these pressing issues? Classroom, Inc. is building resources to support teachers and educate children with an engaging game platform. Often these teachers are working in chronically under-funded and under-resourced areas. Classroom, Inc. programs were developed to help even the odds. These tools empower teachers, not only to raise the core learning levels of their students, but also to introduce educators to opportunities their current environment doesn’t offer. Classroom, Inc.’s new development platform has the ability to distribute its curriculum online. The platform—combined with the incredible and dedicated team—positions Classroom, Inc. for success in driving academic improvement and self-development on a broad scale. I am excited and fortunate to be involved in such a terrific cause.
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