[EVSD News] Superintendent's Newsletter 03.03.09

[Jodi Brown]

The purpose of this newsletter is to update you on events that are
happening in the district, provide information to address issues or
rumors and provide you a forum to communicate with me on items of
interest. If you are receiving this e-mail you are either an East Valley
Staff member, you have signed up for this service, you have sent me an
e-mail or have had some form of contact that we think would cause you to
want this information. If you do not want to continue to receive this
information you may unsubscribe by clicking the link below or contacting
the district office.  
 
It is hard to believe we are already in the first week of March. 
Normally, by this time we would be well on our way for planning for next
year.   Unfortunately, because of the unsettled state of the economy we
continue to operate with many issues up in the air.   We continue to
receive information from our state and federal governments about various
stimulant and funding packages but the reality of the situation is that
until the dust really settles we will not know how the budget is going
to change.   We can expect a reduction in funding and we can expect
those reductions to impact our most innovative and progressive programs.
  
 
Our goal for the remainder of this year will be to continue to take
advantage of our opportunities to build system capacity.   If we can
build sustainable programs that serve the needs of students and improve
student achievement I believe we will make it through this crisis in
fairly good shape.   
 
Regardless of our actions this year, we will be challenged by the
financial realities for next year.   The goal will be to keep as much of
our instructional program intact as possible.  If we are forced to make
cuts that impact programs that offer direct educational services to
children, we will work with all stakeholders to understand the
ramifications of those cuts.   We will not act arbitrarily and without
attempting to gather information.   
 
The gathering of information and the sharing of information is a
difficult task in an organization of this size. I need some help.  Today
I learned that there are some issues that folks feel like they cannot
talk about or are no longer open for discussion.   I want to assure you
that this is not the case.   I need to hear from you on any issue that
is causing concern.   I have tried to make myself available to all of
the employees and patrons of this district but if there is a better way
for me to communicate please let me know.  
 
One of the items that continues to garner a great amount of discussion
is the issue of student lunches.   In August of 1996 the way that
lunches for elementary school students were monitored and where students
ate was changed.  Last year, how and what we serve for lunch and
breakfast, at all levels, was changed.   
 
The issue of food in our schools is a topic of conversation among every
group with which I meet.  Although I may have failed to communicate on
this issue, I have been listening and we are working on addressing the
many issues surrounding our food service program.   Last week the board
made a decision to move back to a food service program that relies more
on fresh foods and foods cooked in local kitchens.   Last Friday I met
with all of the school cooks to outline an ambitious, multi-year,
program that will fully integrate food and nutrition into the school
system.   
 
This program will require us to shift our thinking about school food. 
It will require us to look at all of the relationships between food and
student health.  Everything will be on the table-so to speak.   Among
the issues that we will consider will be lunch times—when we have
recess, food related fundraisers, ideas to align menus with the
curriculum, food as a reward in the classroom, physical education,
vending machines and a bunch of other stuff that I can’t think of right
now.   Our purpose in spending time and energy on this issue is to
accomplish two goals: 1) Improve student achievement by satisfying a
basic human need.  2) To teach kids—and hopefully help families—to have
a lifelong healthy relationship with food and exercise so that they can
lead a healthy active life. 
 
We will start planning for these changes, as they impact the food
service staff in the next few weeks. We will be discussing the best way
to gather input from other staff and parents in our various forums.   In
the meantime, if you think there is something that I need to know about
our current food program please send me an e-mail, write me a note give
me a call or ask me the next time that I am in a staff meeting.  You may
also ask one of the representatives of the teacher advisory group to
bring the issue forward for discussion.  If you are a parent you are
welcome to attend the Parent Advisory Group meeting on Monday, March 16,
at 1:30 pm. We meet in the board room at the administration office.
 
In closing I would like to recognize our classified employees.  Next
week is classified employee week and these folks do an amazing job.   
 
As always please do not hesitate to call or contact me with ideas,
suggestions or concerns. I really mean it.  You can call me at the
district office at 924-1830.   You may also contact me via e-mail
GlenewinkelJ at evsd.org.  My home phone was hooked up last night but I
can’t remember the number at the moment, and since it is still outside,
I probably wouldn’t hear it anyway, but by my next writing I should have
an indoor phone and know the number.    
 
John
 
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