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“Work begins for new school year”
By Susan E. Miller
Interim Superintendent
Dear
Community Members:
I hope your summer break was re-energizing and
productive. As another academic year approaches, families and staff
across the district are busily preparing for Sept. 2. To our new
students and staff, welcome! To our parents, thank you for selecting Sac
City schools for your children. To our new employees, thank you for
bringing your commitment and talent to the students of our community and
for deciding to join our team.
In this issue of The Connection,
we have listed a partial list of the accomplishments achieved last
year. Our students and staff have much to celebrate and much to build
upon.
Last month, I indicated my focus
would be to coordinate an update to our 2006-08 strategic plan,
“Success for Every Student by Name.” I will work with our Board of
Education and staff to create a new roadmap for 2008-09. I also have
three priorities: increasing student achievement and closing the
performance gap among different groups of students, maintaining fiscal
solvency, and the ongoing work of strengthening relationships and
building new ones.
The California Department of
Education just released the statewide test results for 2008. At the
district level, we are reviewing the results and will then update the
strategic plan. School administrators and teachers will also engage in
a similar process for their sites.
Data results (received just prior
to writing this column) appear to reveal another year of overall
increases in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. More detailed
information will be published in future issues of The Connection.
Work on the three focus areas has
already begun. Over the summer, the district offered staff development
or training to instructors to expand their tool box of skills to
assist students of diverse backgrounds. We also offered targeted
summer school classes to help students improve their proficiency in
core subject areas and boost their confidence for the coming year.
In the budget area, as of Aug. 8,
when I prepared this column, we were still awaiting a state budget.
The district submitted a balanced budget as required by law to our
county office of education in June. Once a final state budget is in
place, we have 45 days to amend our district spending plan based on
the state funding we receive. California districts receive
approximately 80 percent of their state funding from the state, so
fiscal decisions made by the Governor and Legislature greatly affect
our own fiscal health. We will continue our cost-cutting measures and
pursuit of new revenue sources.
Other efforts undertaken this
summer include planning “chats” at schools to meet with parents and
staff, as well as meetings with community members and employees. As
meetings are scheduled at schools, we will use fliers and our
Connect-ED system to notify parents and employees.
A key element of continuous
improvement is listening, and I am looking forward to the school
“chats” and community meetings. Staff will also be using new
technologies to increase communication and knowledge sharing
throughout the district. We hope the new tools will assist us in
becoming better partners with students, staff and community.
Finally, I want to express my deep
appreciation to all our families for all they do to ensure students
attend school every day, are well rested and prepared to learn. We
have a great team ready to help students learn and thrive. Please
accept my best wishes for a successful and productive new school year. |
