The Lincoln County District No. 2 is gearing up for its third Take Your Legislator to School Day event on Thursday which will happen all day long.

It started four years ago and the district missed last year, but is bringing it back again. Director of Elementary Education, Dr. Amanda McAdams, says she believes it is a necessary activity to do based on her experiences in other states.

“We’ve been treated so well for so long in our school districts there hasn’t been a necessity for political activity,” McAdams said. “But that year they were having big budget cuts, even though were a small community and our legislators really do know our people, to get them in the classroom to see daily what our teachers do is so important.”

She says to put a name and a face for when decisions are being made on the legislation floor is also important. She also says the students really enjoy it too because they get to lead tours and get to show off the things they do.

Representative Jim Roscoe, Representative Evan Simpson, and Senator Dan Dockstader will all be participating. Each legislator will visit three schools.

McAdams says teachers have planned different activities for them such as teaching, hosting a question and answer, and some will just observe or do variations of those items. Then after school the administrators will get some time with the legislators.

She used Senator Dockstader as an example of someone who really knows what’s going on in the schools, yet still comes away learning something from this event.

“I remember once he got to observe a professional learning community,” McAdams said. “And was really impressed how well our teachers knew each and every child in that grade level.

“How they can support, how they can intervene, how they can challenge our kids. He walked away with a greater appreciation for how well our teachers care about our kids.”

McAdams also says this is an opportunity for the legislators to talk about themselves as well. She mentioned how in one classroom Senator Dockstader will discuss his ideals and his career to an advanced history class.

“To give students the chance to know about our legislators too,” McAdams said. “Not just for them to see the school, but for the kids to understand what a huge responsibility they have for our state and representing our community.”

She says this type of event also gives the legislators the knowledge to defend the schools to the rest of the state as well.