Bruce Palmer,
Board Chair

I hope that you will look over this report on our schools with a very discerning eye. There is a lot of great work happening in the district: dedicated staff working every day to educate our children; kids striving to make a better future for themselves and our community; parents doing what it takes to make sure that their students arrive at school rested, fed and ready to learn. All good stuff.

But I’m not satisfied, and I hope you aren’t, either. We need to do significantly better if our country, our community and our children are going to fully realize their potential. We need to focus on every child, every day, every time.

Frequently I am asked, “What are we trying to fix?”  Here are a few examples:

• 75% of our graduates attend post-secondary education, yet only 35% complete a degree. This is unacceptable. Our children represent much greater potential.

• As you look over this report, you will see that our district’s PAWS scores are often lower than the state averages. We can and must do better.

• A high school diploma is the minimal requirement for the kind of success that we want for our children, yet every year five percent of our children drop out. Each of these kids represents a failure for our schools and our community.

Please join me in celebrating the many successes that the district has accomplished in the past year. At the same time, demand better.

As a community, let’s step up to the challenge of providing truly excellent education for every child, every day, every time!

Bruce Palmer, Board Chair

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