Welcome back to the start of a new school year! The 2006/2007 school year is now officially underway.
As Superintendent of Schools, I am dedicated to the task that our schools provide the highest quality education for all our students. We, at Roxbury Public Schools, have a mission to educate every child who walks through our doors.
Our teachers work very hard every day to prepare the students for their tomorrows, and understand that their hard work has a profound and lasting effect on the lives of their students. Our staff continually looks for ways to improve themselves professionally to meet the diverse needs of our students. This summer, staff training took place in Differentiated Instruction, a district initiative that will deliver the curriculum in diverse ways. This year, our teachers and administrators will make a difference in the lives of 4,514 students entering our schools this fall.
We have also been active this summer working on our newly formed Strategic Plan, a plan which will help guide the district for the next three years. Four major areas of focus of the plan are:
ü Student achievement
ü To enhance the social and emotional growth of students
ü Progressive education by looking at alternative funding and by being pro-active with cutting-edge educational opportunities
ü Communication – increasing awareness of events and successes in all domains of the school district.
This year is the first year in the last three years that major construction has not been going on in the district. We are at the end of the third phase of the building project, and I am very happy to report that all three phases went well, stayed within budget, and were completed on time. Our students will now benefit from these facilities and again, thank you, for supporting our schools.
We have begun to strengthen our relationship between the school and the town council by initiating more frequent communication by creating a shared services committee. This committee will continue to look for ways to share services and become more efficient as a whole. We have also been working with groups within the school community, such as the football parents’ organization and Jim Gordon of Westchester Supply, for the betterment of the students. The improved athletic field and new scoreboard that was donated for our football field are clear benefits of this relationship. Another example of generosity that was made possible this summer by working with the school and the community is the new environmental center at our Franklin School. Fullerton Nursery has been constructing a beautiful area behind the Franklin School that will benefit students for years to come.
Our schools play a crucial role in this community. In fact, I would argue that the success of our schools is central to the success of the community. Today, we are preparing students to contribute to the intellectual growth of both the community and the nation. For the students strong schools mean strong futures.
In an effort to continue to keep the lines of communication open, we will be doing more articles throughout the year to keep the public informed, aware, and to feel more a part of the district. I look forward to a great school year and, with your support, I am sure we will accomplish great things.