Valley View Tries to Keep Budget Cuts Far from Classrooms

The start of the 2010-2011 school year is here! Once again, parents and children will be securing the necessary tools for use in classrooms throughout grades pre-K through 12. There are books to be purchased, new shoes to fit, backpacks of the latest color and style to be found, and of course a few new items of clothing to replace what has been outgrown over the summer months. 

However, the one thing that does not need a purchase and is in abundance in every household is the excitement felt by youngsters, parents, and staff as we all anticipate the start of our year. New classes, new friends, new teachers, and perhaps a new school await approximately 18,000 students.

The past few months have been very busy in each Valley View school. Existing rooms have been cleaned, waxed and made ready. Returning teachers have prepared new lesson plans, completed advanced training, and gathered supplemental materials that will enhance instruction. Principals have been busy gathering textbooks, computers, and supplies necessary for student use. Personnel who drive the school buses, prepare breakfast and lunches, and make sure that safety and security procedures are in place have completed their tasks to ensure a smooth start to the year.

No message at the start of a new school year could be written without some mention of the financial difficulties our district is encountering as a result of the state and national economic distress of the past two years. In anticipation of decreased or delayed state support for public education, we reduced the district budget by over $20 million during this time. Virtually every aspect of the district has been impacted by budget reductions. 

The primary objective in making budget reductions has been to stay as far away from daily classroom instruction as possible. The curricular supports provided by counselors, nurses, safety, social workers, deans, psychologists, reading specialists, technology, and library personnel continue during this year. It has been our intent that children and parents would see very little change in their daily classroom instructional programs from last year to this year

What is most important are the curriculum and learning opportunities provided by dedicated professionals to our eager and willing students. Indeed, it is the daily interaction between teacher and child supported by parental interest that causes academic achievement to reach full potential. This year, the following interests will receive a districtwide focus:

• "Literacy for Learning" utilizes a reading strategy for emphasis each month in each school throughout the district.
• Last Spring, the Board of Education approved a recommendation from the K-12 math committee to re-align the curriculum that will address newly adopted state standards

• Instructional Decision Making (IDM) remains the district approach to ensure school improvement through the use of data generated by classroom, state, and national test programs.

Preparation and dedication of our staff in planning for the new school year gives promise that this will be the best in the history of the district and its students.  We look forward to strengthening the partnership that has been developed among students, home, and school. 

Thank you for your interest and support of all our youngsters.