The illiterate of the 21^st century will not be those who cannot read and write,
but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.

Alvin Toffler, futurist

Every new school year brings with it a sense of anticipation and excitement.  As we look forward to the coming year, we will be focusing on two very important areas.

Communication to and from the community is a great benefit to the District.  Last year we learned a great deal by meeting with members of the community to address concerns about our bus system.  We also learned a great deal from community members who helped develop the new Comprehensive School Improvement Plan.  You will notice that this newsletter contains more basic information than in the past.  I hope you find this information useful and might even keep some of it beneath your favorite refrigerator magnet.  Throughout the year we will attempt to share with you the plain and simple information you really want to know about your District.  With that in mind, I would welcome any suggestions you have regarding the types of information you believe that parents and the community want to know.

As employees, we have exerted a great deal of effort to better understand our students and the changing needs associated with a changing student body.  While our District enrollment continues to decline, we are seeing an increase in the percentage of students who qualify for special education, the percentage of students for whom English is not their primary language and the percentage of students who are at risk due to factors outside the school setting.  We realize that this presents the challenge of providing Personalized Learning for our students.

Personalized learning is not some educational fad or catch phrase.  It is simply my own way of saying that we need to individualize learning for students and make it personal.  We need to develop relationships between staff and students, staff and parents and even parents and students.  These relationships are what make it possible for us to inspire learning by students.  In the end, we adults, the parents and staff, must find ways to help students connect or become engaged in school.  Engaged students are those who not only participate in class, but they persist in pursuit of understanding and do so naturally. 

I hope that through improved communication with the community, we will better provide the educational opportunities needed to produce the types of graduates our community expects.  I also hope that, working with parents, we can connect with and engage every student who comes through our doors.  It is, indeed, our intent to prepare graduates for their future; a future that will require them to learn, unlearn and relearn on a daily basis.

Yours in Education,


Randal D. Charles
Superintendent of Schools