Superintendent's Message for January 2024

While the process of ending one year and starting another is one of hope and renewal, it also brings its challenges…like remembering to move from 2023 to 2024 for the year when dating documents. It takes that moment of intentionality to make sure one has it right. Intentionality is a part of our daily lives, be it in what we eat, exercise, kind words or patience and a myriad of other things. Intentionality also is found in our work.

Over break, we transitioned the district office from our location at 607 Ramsey, south of the elementary to 314 W Van Weiss Blvd, to the east of the high school and west of the practice field. Entrance to this office is located on the north side of the building. In the move we came across a framed pen drawing of the building's original floor plan.  Originally built in 1963 as a church parsonage, at some point it was sold as a personal home and in 2021, the district purchased it.

Bordered on the south by a city street and three on the other three sides by the district, the district’s interest or intentionality in ownership of this property was multi-purposed.  While the district had enjoyed good neighbors for a number of years, the potential for challenges was ever-present.  Outside of ownership, the district’s ability to manage such challenges was limited.

As important, if not more important though, was that ownership afforded the district options to better manage instructional programming in its future, both as opportunities for students and financial oversight.

By transitioning the district office to its new location, the district had the ability to move a program or programs from the elementary to the former office with minimal updates.  This in turn afforded the opportunity to bring the 6th grade back to the elementary from the secondary school in 2024-2025 and thus, free space up at the secondary building for shifts in programming. Coupled with the purposeful reduction from four sections per grade to three sections as a means to manage the impact of net open enrollment factors, the district is as best possible for determining its path forward in the future.

While located at the 607 Ramsey address, one of our continual concerns was the traffic that occurred in the parking lot that served the district office and lied to the north between us and the elementary school. As for district purposes, its use by our staff was primarily before and after school and rarely at arrival or dismissal time.  Even though posted, Often, at these times, one would find or hear about me out discussing that this lot was not a drop-off or pick-up for students except in pre-approved situations.  Sometimes these conversations were better received than in others.  Regardless, the safety of our students was and is always paramount.

One of the greatest concerns we have with the move is the monitoring of this lot.  To that end, sometime before or shortly after we return from break a temporary barricade system will be put up to block entrance to this lot. No one without explicit permission from myself or our Director of Buildings and Grounds is to enter this lot.  We ask, for the safety of our students, that you abide by this expectation.

May you and yours have a Happy New Year!

 Lisa Beames

More from the Superintendent

• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• August/September 2023
• May 2023