Superintendent’s Message
To the Community of South Bend,
My second year as superintendent has come and gone, but it was certainly an exciting and rewarding year. While other districts across the state have struggled to pass bond issues, the great community of South Bend stepped up and passed their bond issue for modernization work to the grade school and JH/HS buildings with nearly a 75% YES vote! The community should be very proud of their commitment to the kids of South Bend. Your constant and continued support of our kids and our schools is greatly appreciated!
Here are some of the highlights of last year and the coming year:
School Modernization
The elementary school remodel is now completed and looks great! The overall remodel has been a 6 year process, beginning with the addition of two new classrooms in 2001. We have a new cafeteria, expanded kitchen facility, newly remodeled classrooms and bathrooms throughout the building, new water lines, updated electrical, and technology ready classrooms and hallways. I hope that the community will take the time to stop by and take a tour of the building. If you haven’t been in it for a few years, you will be very pleasantly surprised by all the changes. The exciting part is, except for the $115,000 we asked for in the bond issue, the entire project has all been done with grant money, state money and through careful budgeting. While there is some work to do outside yet, for the most part we now have a brand new grade school that will be a great place for kids for many years to come at little cost to the people of South Bend.
The play area and modernization of the JR/SR High School will not begin until the latter part of the summer of 2008. We cannot begin that work until the state match dollars are released to us and that will not occur until the middle of July in 2008.
If you have not seen the new bleachers in Koplitz Field House, please stop by. Better yet, come by and catch a volleyball game this fall or a basketball game this winter. We have an exciting group of athletes and you may be surprised at how much fun a night out in the gym watching and supporting our kids really is. We are very proud of the new bleachers and they are a great addition to our community. They are much safer for every one of all ages and add much to an already distinguished gymnasium. Our many, many thanks to the Cheney Foundation for their generous $75,000 gift.
We have also added new lights to Koplitz Field House, the HS Multi-Purpose Room, Shop Building and Bus Garage. The lights are energy efficient, individually sensored and come on with movement and go off after ten minutes of inactivity. We expect them to help our energy bills a great deal in addition to greatly brightening the areas.
Staff Retirements / Staff Departures
Arlyn Harris and Linda Buchanan have retired from the school district and education after two very successful and influential careers with the district. Arlyn taught Home Ec and a variety of other subjects over her 20 year career at South Bend. She was a teacher who would do whatever was asked of her, always willing to tackle any and all jobs. Arlyn’s time and dedication to her job and our kids will be sorely missed as will her pie making abilities! Linda Buchanan retires with 36 years at South Bend. She was a very dedicated teacher who brought many unique programs, benefiting kids, to her classroom and to the district. Linda’s 6th grade classes were responsible for the Holiday Store each year, among other things, and traveled to Seattle or Victoria BC each year as a class trip / learning experience. All of the little extras that she did for her kids and for the school in general will be sorely missed.
The district wishes them both the very best in the in their new lives. They both have a zest for travel and adventure, so I am sure that they will have a very enjoyable and happy retirement life.
Other staff members who have left the district are; Ron Beard, our shop teacher who has left for Ephrata, Meri Yardley, ECEAP Para educator who has left to work in her cosmetic business venture Terra Firma, Mike Vian, ECEAP Para educator who is returning to school to pursue a teaching degree, Mandy Karchesy, ECEAP Para educator who is staying at home with her new baby and Jeannie Hillery who has gone to work for the Dennis Company. We wish them all well in their new endeavors, they all will be missed.
New Hires / Teaching Changes
We have hired four new teachers for the 2007-08 school year. Ryan Bezanson (Bagley), a South Bend graduate, will teach Preschool, Corey Martinsen, who hails from Aberdeen will replace Ron Beard in the shop, David Minton, from the Seattle area will be the new Primary Special Ed and Title 1 teacher and Deanna Ege, currently serving as a reading and math coach in Aberdeen will be the Intermediate Title 1/ ESL teacher. We are very excited to welcome these four to our teaching family. Portia Childress, currently Title 1 / ESL will replace Linda Buchanan in 6th grade.
All Day Kindergarten
South Bend will move to a true all day kindergarten setting for the 2007-08 school year. For the past few years, our kindergartners attended school all day, but the afternoon included an “enrichment” time. Next year, all of the kids will have all day instruction with certificated teachers Aimee Betrozoff and Mindi Passolt providing the instruction. The district recognizes the importance of early intervention and instruction in getting all students better prepared for success in school and is committed to that idea.
“Ready for Kindergarten” Program
Last year the district began a program called “Ready for Kindergarten” that reaches out to parents and families of kids from birth to five. Families who attend receive books, games and other age appropriate items that help to stimulate and facilitate learning. The initial program was a phenomenal success under the direction of Laurie May, ECEAP Director and Kresta Byington, Elementary Principal, in addition to the great staff who instructed the families. We began the year with about 30 families and ended with 66 families involved. We look forward to sponsoring the program again this year. Please look for program information or call 875-5327 for more information as space will be limited. We are committed to providing the best possible education to our kids. The earlier that we can get families involved in the education process, the better chance for the success of the kids in school.
Sophomore WASL Results
We had nearly 90% of our kids pass the Reading and Writing portion of the WASL. Approximately 47% passed the math portion. This leaves us all, including the kids, with much work to do as we continue to strive for all kids to graduate on time. While the law now allows kids to take another math class to meet the math graduation requirement, we will continue to do our best in getting all kids to pass all three sections of the WASL. It is important that all of us, the district, the parents and most importantly the kids continue to focus on improving our overall math skills. All of us must work closely together to make sure that all kids are doing their best to reach the high standards that the state has put in front of us.
The K-12 math staff has worked hard to align their curriculum to the state test. They have participated in school year workshops and have attended summer trainings. Additionally we have added several courses to help reduce class size to better meet the needs of the kids struggling to learn the necessary math concepts to be successful on the WASL. Math is a struggle across the state, but we will continue to work hard as a district to help meet the needs of the kids in finding success.
Our reading and writing scores are good and on the state average. We offer a reading and writing class taught by Ms. Romine to students that may be in danger of not passing the WASL in those two areas. Ms. Romine does a wonderful job with the class and it has been a very helpful class to the students by their own testimony. The great of the kids and staff are recognized and greatly appreciated by everyone involved!
Science Grant
South Bend was one of five other area districts to receive a science grant to help with improving science education and test scores in grades 4-12. The grant, coordinated by the North Beach School District, will provide professional development to teachers both on campus and off campus. It will emphasize hands on science lessons based on scientific research and intended to meet the standards of the state exam. Work has already begun by teachers this summer as one teacher has attended two weeks of training and five others have attended one week of training in Aberdeen at GH College. The staff members should be commended for their commitment and efforts at working to improve science instruction to the kids of South Bend.
Maintenance Crew
Our maintenance crew has once again done a great job this summer. We have always taken great pride in our maintenance program at South Bend and in keeping the overall school district looking good. None of this could be accomplished without the hard work of Gary Wilson, Joe Doktor, Doug Sands, Al Lewis and Chris Reyser. They all take a great deal of pride in our facilities and their work. With the construction going on in the grade school, this has allowed the crew more time in other parts of the campus catching up on some little things. Thanks to all of them for their hard work and dedication to the district.
School Board Members
I would like to thank the school board for their time and constant support in keeping the district moving in a positive direction. We are lucky to have such a strong and dedicated group of people giving up their time to help shape our district. They are a diverse group who are committed to kids and education and work well together as a team. They are generally in the background and don’t receive much credit for their work but are integral parts of the school district’s success over the years.
The board chair is Vince Shaudys. Vince has decided not to seek re-election in November. He will be sorely missed on the board. Vince has taken a keen interest in the legislative part of education and has had many conversations with our legislators over the years about the direction of education in the state and the need for more support of K-12 education from the legislature. The remainder of the school board members includes Bryan Harrison, Maureene Nisbet, Dave Eastham and Steve Russell. Many thanks to all of them for the great job that they do for our kids and our school!
As school superintendent, I promise that the district will continue to strive to provide a quality school district that everyone in the community can be proud of. It will always be our goal / my goal to give our students a safe and positive experience while they attend the South Bend School District. We are blessed with great kids, a caring staff, and a very supportive community. Those ingredients are all part of the recipe for success!
My many thanks to the kids, the community, the staff, the school board and everyone else that help to make South Bend “A Great Place for Kids”. Please feel free to stop by anytime if you have any questions or concerns. My door is always open! Have a great year!
Yours in Education,
Mike Morris
Superintendent |
