While the Howard County Public School System excels in the state and the nation by many standardized measurements, Superintendent Renee Foose said there is more to do to make sure students are fully prepared for life after graduation.

At a Howard County Chamber of Commerce luncheon yesterday at Turf Valley, Dr. Foose told nearly 200 business leaders that "my work is directly related to your work. ... I am producing your future workforce."

She talked about the new strategic plan for the school system, Vision 2018, which calls for students to not only learn math, science and history, but to develop the "soft skills" that are crucial for success in the workforce. These include being able to think critically and solve problems, collaborating in teams, being adaptable, communicating effectively, and accessing and analyzing information.

As schools have largely focused on the transactional model of getting students to learn the right answer, she said, public education has "stifled creative thinking and problem solving. ... We are not teaching [students] to ask the right questions."

Dr. Foose was invited to speak as part of the Chamber's series of Member Luncheons that include informative presentations on topics of interest to the business community along with networking opportunities.