Superintendent’s Message - March 2007

In the world of school district planning and scheduling, the important job of teaching our children ‘in the present’ remains the highest priority, but in our work to continue positive progress forward, we are already focused on the 2007-2008 school year.  There is much to do to get ready.  We work hard to address the urgent without it trumping the important long range needs of the District.  Here are some of those large scale projects either kicking off or already well into the planning stages.

Budget Development

All school districts in California must adopt their annual operating budgets no later than June 30, 2007.  This most often has to take place even when the state budget hasn’t been adopted, so you can guess that it isn’t a totally linear process.  We are beginning our input gathering process and will meet with each school staff, with our PTA leaders as well as our foundation leaders.  We also want to hear from you as you think about the priorities you believe need to be addressed.  Public school district budgets are ‘people intensive’ and our budget is approximately 87-88% personnel costs.  Put in simple terms, everything else from utilities to paper clips comes from the remaining 12-13%. 

At its March 13^th meeting, the Board of Trustees will discuss budget priorities in preparation for our annual Finance Study Session on March 28, from 7-9 pm.  The public is encouraged to attend.

Facilities Needs Assessment Findings

The District contracted with Vanir Construction and Management to provide the Board with an assessment of our facilities condition and what related costs may need to be considered to deal with those conditions.  Our kids are getting a quality education in our schools; and our schools need to reflect what we want for kids in the 21^st century.  I have always maintained that public places like schools, municipal buildings, and libraries should be enduring and be places of ‘community pride’.  The conditions assessment showed us there is plenty that needs to be done at many of our schools to not only meet the needs of a growing enrolment, but to seek quality in all of our facilities.  The assessment was pretty basic and evaluated such things as roofs, heating and plumbing, windows, and building exteriors.  The assessment concluded that there is approximately $20 million in potential work to make sure our existing facilities stay ‘healthy’.  The entire report compiled by Vanir Construction and Management will be available on the district website in the near future.  Much more discussion will take place by our Board in future meetings, beginning with the March 13^th session.

Strawberry Point Field Restoration

While this project does not have a district-wide impact, it certainly has been one that has received a lot of attention lately.  The Board recently passed a resolution that would request the County of Marin to not enforce particular components of the Marin County Wide Plan.  It needs to be said that while we have requested to be exempt from some of the regulations, the County has the authority to disagree and tell us that they do.  The District is not trying to side step its duty to complete a project that reasonably addresses environmental and land use planning concerns.  In fact, it has already went through some very stringent tests and passed those with flying colors.  The permit process is far from over and the most rigorous tests are yet to come.  That is why those who have led this project are taking each step very seriously and have sought to engage other groups in a positive way. 

It is important for our public to understand this project started seven years ago with the re-opening of Strawberry Point School .  The Strawberry Point Field Committee, comprised of parents and district staff, have raised over $300,000 towards the completion of the project, which will not only create a grassy field for physical education and recreation, but will also improve the habitat so our children can study the environment around us in ‘real-time’ and with a laboratory experience.  Some have said that to construct the playfield, a seasonal wetland will be sacrificed.  It is important to remember that it will be replaced with a seasonal wetland that is larger, and probably better protected.  We still believe it is a ‘win’ both for the environment and for the kids who will study in it.  The field will also create a safer venue for recreation and physical education.  As Trustee Monib Khademi reminded those who were in attendance at the special Board Meeting on March 1, an integral part of the District’s mission statement focuses on our students as ‘good stewards of the environment’.  

Proud of our Partnerships

In a district like ours, and many others across the state, our success is heavily dependent on the partnerships and alliances we have with our foundation, KIDDO! and our wonderful PTA’s.  Each of these groups are planning already for next year and I hope you will see fit to stay involved with them if you already are and if not, I can’t think of a better way to contribute to all kids at each school and to all kids at all schools.  KIDDO! will soon begin its annual campaign which supports all of our arts programs and supports technology in our district.  I hope when you are called upon you will see both of these organizations as vital partners in the success of our students and the continued health of our school district.

Building a Strong Technology Future

You have heard many stories of our district technology challenges and I certainly won’t deny that most of them are true.  I’ve been telling staff across our district that I will be very happy when we have the same tech issues all organizations have; and not some of the very unique and significant ones we have encountered.  We believe we are on a positive path as all of our schools in the very near future will be part of a cohesive, stable high speed network.  The Board has put over $300,000 the last two years into the development of a stable infrastructure.  We will offer comprehensive professional development in technology to 32 more teachers this and next year, bringing that total to 71, or about half of our teachers; and we will finally realize a full implementation of the mobile technology learning labs that KIDDO! so wonderfully raised money for this year.  PTA’s have been enhancing these labs and supplying additional technology hardware to schools; and I am seeing some pretty exciting work being done in our classrooms as teachers get better acquainted with the potential of quality learning support through technology.  I always reminded that technology is a tool and it will only be as effective as the strategies that come to life through great teaching; and the infrastructure we provide for those teachers and kids so those strategies do come to life and our kids have greater access.

Action Planning

We are in the process of re-energizing the district’s strategic plan and hope to take a newly refreshed three year action plan to the Board of Trustees this next October.  We want a plan that lives, is monitored, evaluated, and has real living goals that we aspire to.  This District has done very well on all measures of student achievement; has managed its resources well, even in difficult fiscal times; has a high quality work force dedicated to student success; and most definitely has the very best kids and parents anyone could ask for.  Whatever our three year plan looks like, it needs to not just be a plan, but to be our motivation to continue the good work that has been done historically in this district.  More information will be forthcoming about your involvement in the process and I welcome your participation, whether you have children in school or not.

As always, your advocacy for and support of children makes a big difference.

Ken Benny

Superintendent