Superintendent Letter September 2009

Summer always flies by too quickly, doesn’t it? I hope you all enjoyed yourselves and are rested and ready for a great new year. I am looking forward to it and the brand new opportunities the year will bring.

AUSD’S WEBSITE GETS A MAKEOVER

As you can see, we have a brand new website (www.alameda.k12.ca.us) to provide you with better access to the information you need. Please check back often for news about district events, updates to our Master Plan process and of course to check out the lunch menus!

If you would like information sent to you, please register your e-mail address on the home page. I also urge you to review our Master Plan page that will be updated regularly with an area for you to provide your feedback on the process and strategies as we move forward.

AUSD HITS THE GROUND RUNNING

I am happy to report that we are off to a great start as our school doors open:

Each school is equipped with earthquake supplies for every student and staff member
We are putting a new mathematics textbook in the hands of every student
We are almost 100% staffed and prepared to start the 2009/2010 school year
Thanks to continuing improvements funded by the Measure C facilities bond, more work has been completed to make our schools safer, more energy efficient, connected to technology, and more ADA accessible.
We are meeting enrollment targets and have room to grow

AUSD STUDENTS RISE TO THE OCCASION

We have good news about the results of our 2009 California Standards Test!.

The results have shown marked improvement district wide in math and English as well as Algebra 1, where every grade level exceeded 2008 testing results. We should all be very proud of this accomplishment and the hard work staff and students alike put into achieving these results.

MAKING PROGRESS ON AUSD’S MASTER PLAN

The Board of Education and I have been working hard over the summer continuing to develop the Master Plan and ensure we gather as much public input in this process as possible.

On August 18^th, the Board and I held the third in a series of community meetings at which we gathered community feedback on potential elements of the Master Plan. At this meeting we examined specific local challenges and possible Master Plan strategies to address them.

The local challenges are:

A persistent achievement gap and pending Program Improvement status with the state
Funding instability due to shifting demographics and the future sunset of the parcel taxes
Enrollment imbalance causing under utilization of facilities and program inequities
A need to improve recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers, administrators and staff
The district office must do more and better with much less

If you were not able to make this last meeting, you can review the presentation (PDF) as well as provide your feedback and comments.

There are still several opportunities to participate:

Attend any of the following Board Community Workshops on September 15^th, September 29^th, October 6^th, October 20^th, and November 3^rd at Historic Alameda High School’s Little Theater (located at the corner of Oak and Walnut Streets)
Go to the AUSD FanFacebook page where students, parents and interested community members can post comments and get status updates on the Master Plan process and possible strategies
Become a Public Education Volunteer (PEV) to help us gather feedback on the Master Plan components - you can find our more information on our website or through your child’s school about becoming a PEV and what is involved in volunteering

The Board of Education will use the feedback collected at these meetings, on the website, and through the AUSD Facebook page to help decide on final strategies for the Master Plan.

Finally, the Board of Education will vote on the actual Master Plan proposal on December 8^th. This is an incredibly important undertaking that will guide the future of our schools, so please take some time to get involved and let us know your opinions!

I’ll have more updates and information for you in my October letter. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call me at 510-337-7060.

Sincerely,

vital-signature

Kirsten Vital
Superintendent of Schools