From the Desk: Public survey to help school committee

“So, is that new superintendent going to run a bond issue before the voters sometime soon?”  Many of you may have heard this question and it brings me to another question…am I still the “new superintendent”?  We are doing the final testing for this school year, a successful prom has been completed and commencement is just around the corner.  That means we are on the verge of completing the 2012-13 school year. 

From the Desk: How to handle your conflicts with school

I’m unhappy with something my child’s teacher did. What should I do? I’ve heard this question many times by involved parents who love their child but were frustrated with something that happened at school. Many different options are available when a parent is unhappy with the school district. Those options obviously vary with the situation and require the parent or even the child to reach out to someone.

From the Desk: process of canceling school

“Are we having school tomorrow?”  I can still remember asking my parents that same question and the anticipation of a magical gift of a day off as a student with snow and ice on the ground.  I always got so frustrated because they never announced school would be closed until the morning.  Of course this was long before the instant communication days we have now.  If it didn’t get on the 10 o’clock news, we knew we would have to listen to the radio in the morning.  I still remember tuning in to the radio and was so disappointed when the announcer would say we were going to school.  I can also remember being frustrated because it always seemed we went to school when we should have been closed and then we would close when the weather was better and the snow had melted.

Superintendent: school safety has and will always be top priority

Over my years as an educator, I’ve seen violence change the way schools operate in many different ways.  Most visitors now understand that identification is required as well as a pass or escort to enter the building.  Occasionally, parents have voiced their disapproval of this practice as unnecessary but I can assure you it is here to stay.

A-F Grades has many shaking their heads

The recent and well-documented statewide A-F school report card issue has made me think back to my days as a classroom teacher.  When I had my first parent-teacher conferences, I remember a particular parent that questioned how I arrived at their child’s grade.

School Board approves $20 million dollar budget; discusses A-F grades

The Guthrie Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a $20 million plus dollar budget for the 2012-13 school year.

From the Desk: Guthrie Superintendent of Schools

Last month I pledged to you to identify in this column what I’ve found to be items valued by our community.  With that in mind, I should mention that I am a strong proponent of extra-curricular activities as they extend the school experience past the last bell and often into the evening.  This extension of the education process is possibly the greatest “safety net” that exists for at-risk students.

Students go back to the classrooms; some for the first time

Guthrie Public Schools started the new school year Friday morning as kids of all ages made the trip back to the classroom.

From the desk: Guthrie Superintendent of Schools

Officially, I started with GPS on July 1^st but my work here started shortly after the Board of Education meeting on March 29^th.  During this time, I’ve been identifying areas where this community places the greatest value and how it relates to the school district.  What I’ve found and continue to find along the way, I will talk about in the coming months of this column. 

In-town transportation to return for Guthrie students this year

When school begins next month, Guthrie Public Schools in‐town students, who live in the no ride zone, will have the option of riding a school bus to and from the school closest to their home.