The Fiber for the Future initiative touches all aspects of life in our community, but none has greater or more immediate importance than the impact it will have on education.

When you think about it, all learning is centered around communication- communicating thoughts, ideas and concepts. With fiber optics, we now have the ability to bring the most powerful communications tool known into our school system for the benefit of every teacher, student and parent. How will fiber optics change and better our schools? First it will save untold dollars by allowing all our public schools to be linked in real time, sharing administrative software, learning tools and resources. On a grade by grade level, it will allow us to link classrooms and share teaching expertise, take part in national and international discussion groups and lectures and expose students to a
broader range of ideas and opinions.

It will also provide more individualized lesson planning so concepts and ideas can be presented on a variety of intellectual levels in a single classroom. The possibilities are limitless. Fiber optics will further broaden our horizons, expand our universe and at the same time make the world smaller, easier to navigate and understand.

Our libraries will not be limited to a finite number of books, or just books, for that matter.

Documentaries, historic national and international events from radio and television and virtual tours of museums and other landmarks will be easily accessed when, and as needed.

Parents will have greater access to their children's classrooms and lesson plans. They will also be able to video-conference from work or home with teachers, "sit in" on classes and participate in discussion groups with other parents.

Students with illnesses or disabilities will be able to log into their classrooms and not fall behind. Special tutoring and after school classes could also be accessed.

As you can see the question isn't where do these amazing possibilities end…the question is simply, when do we begin?