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This fall nearly 3,600 students will head back to the Chisago Lakes Public Schools. As superintendent of our school system, I am dedicated to ensuring that all of our schools provide the highest quality education to every learner who walks through our doors. The back to school season, along with the excitement of a new beginning, also allows us to reflect on our mission and the role we play in the greater Chisago Lakes area.

Our staff of over four hundred professional and support personnel recognize the need to be a positive force in the life of every one of our students. Our district is committed to providing opportunities for achievement and avenues to success for all of our students through all of our programs and activities. Our students’ success is our success, and our success benefits all of our communities.

 Public schools are being asked to do more than ever before in ensuring the development of the young people in our community. The federal law No Child Left Behind has required additional testing and accountability reporting to the public. While the testing results are strong indicators of our success, the added time commitment and resource commitment to meet the mandates of the law remain as challenges.

Wellness policies were required for all schools as of July 2006 that further mandate food service requirements and school vending practices, and challenges the public schools to be leaders in the fight against childhood obesity. We need to find innovative ways to encourage students to be more physically active at school while maintaining strict academic and core content schedules in our buildings.

The state legislature has recently mandated safety drills that call for locking down school buildings in the same manner as holding fire drills in the past, making sure schools are ever more vigilant regarding violence in our society and school building security. Our staff works hard to maintain student safety and holds training and drills to remain current in these practices.

While new requirements continue to find their way to the school house door, the main mission of providing time for mastery of the  basics in reading and math, as well as in all our other academic areas, continues to be squeezed into smaller and smaller time frames. Parental support for completing work at home and developing proper student study habits are essential if we are to continue meeting our goals of success for all learners. These are but a few new challenges facing our educators as we embark on the journey of a new school year.

I would like to thank all of our patrons, civic groups and community businesses for their continued support of the Chisago Lakes Schools. We need your help and appreciate your willingness to assist us in the worthy endeavor of providing hope and direction to the young people of our community. Please feel free to visit your schools and don’t hesitate to call to let us know how we can improve. Have a great school year!

 

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