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Community input drives our success

COMMUNITY SURVEY - PLEASE SHARE YOUR INPUT First, I want to thank everyone for all you did to ensure a strong start to the 2017-2018 school year. Whether you are a parent who helped ensure your child was excited about returning to our classrooms, an educator or staff member who took advantage of the many professional learning opportunities over the summer, or a community member who donated school supplies, backpacks, food, or clothing to our students to ensure they succeed - from all of us, thank you. Second, I want to thank you for your patience with us as we transition through the requirements of House Bill 70. Over the course of the past two years, we have made it a very high priority to make sure that you have been engaged – that has included two-way communication that is open, honest, candid and timely. Unfortunately, given the aggressive timeline of House Bill 70’s mandates, our commitment to giving you advanced notification of opportunities to engage has been restricted. Unfortunately, it is nothing that we as a district have had any control over.

Because of this legislation, over the last two months the firms hired by our Academic Distress Commission have been giving very little notice when inviting community members for their input for critical decisions – including engaging our community in the hiring of a CEO and gathering input necessary to create the new Academic Recovery Plan. As a result, the search firm and the engagement firm have had to be very aggressive in meeting those timelines which has not allowed for us to demonstrate to you the same level of respect to which you have grown accustomed with community engagement.

My concern is that these circumstances have people wondering if we truly want your voices to be heard. I can assure you that we not only want, but need you at the table.

Again, I apologize for how rushed these processes must seem to you and if we’ve given you the impression that your voice is not important. I believe you know this is not how we have conducted business in the past and we look forward to things getting back to normal very soon. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience.

All that said, please take a few minutes to complete the current community survey through the links in the article below. Your input will continue to shape the future of your schools as we move forward. Sincerely, Dr. Jeff Graham, Superintendent

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