Board Report

A Message from the Board President
Board Approves District Priorities
View from the SAC
National School Counseling Week Proclaimed
Learn and Serve Grants to Enhance TUSD
Update on StAAR Schools
Scheduled Meetings
Welcome New Assistant Principal
Spotlight on Excellence
Movie Ticket Winner

A Message from the Board President

It is an honor to have been elected to serve a new term as President of the TUSD Governing Board. As I assume my duties, I would like to extend my gratitude to Carolyn Kemmeries for her leadership throughout the past year.

For the remainder of the 2001-02 academic year, the Governing Board will focus our attention on the recently approved district priorities.

Student achievement is the single most important aspect of our work and remains our highest priority. I encourage every member of our educational community to join us in renewing our focus on this fundamental and critical goal.

Increasing parent and community involvement in our schools is another significant goal this year. A thank you to Eliot Burris, co-moderator for the School Community Partnership Council (SCPC), in particular, for his leadership in recommending to the Board that we focus on the participation of our parents in realizing our student achievement measures.

We will do everything in our power to help all our parent groups achieve their BOLD! Game measures this year and into the future.

Human resources and employee development remain high on our list of priorities, because the success of our students rests on the skills, health and satisfaction of our employees.

Of utmost importance this year is the need to address the rising costs of health insurance so we can offer affordable health care options for individuals and families. We also will work to create a fiscally responsible plan for salary equity throughout the district.

Last year, partly because of Prop. 301 funds, TUSD was able to offer sizeable salary increases to our teachers. While counting our blessings for such positive outcomes, we recognize that we will continue to face budgetary challenges from the state legislature.

For that reason, we will continue to pursue community partnerships and collaborative relationships in an effort to increase the district's financial resources.

Looking ahead, I invite you to join us at this month's Governing Board meeting (February 19), when we will discuss:

• Adoption of 2002-03 academic calendar;

• Anticipated reports from ELI and TEA on salary equity issues

Mary Belle McCorkle, Ed.D.

"A child is a person who is going to carry on what you have started... The fate of humanity is in his hands."

- Abraham Lincoln

More articles in this month's report...