As we come to the conclusion of another school year, I want to recognize each one of you for your individual contribution to the Burlington-Edison School District . I believe that we have had an excellent year as our organization improves and the quality of education that we provide our children continues to strengthen. We have made these gains with limited resources due to budget reductions, and I am pleased to report that we should end this year at the board mandated level of reserve funds.

Our classified staff continues to be the backbone of the school district, providing support in all aspects of our work. Secretaries, instructional assistants, cooks, bus drivers, and custodians provide the most visible presence in our schools. Not so visible are our grounds and maintenance crews who work all across the district keeping everything operating and our facilities in excellent condition.

Technology has become such an integral part of our day-to-day work, and the staff in the Technology Department ensures that we have the hardware, software, and training that we need. In addition, our Technology Department and all staff did an excellent job of moving to the new Skyward Program of student record keeping. As we become more experienced with this new program, we will see greater efficiencies in our record keeping.

We continue to make huge gains with our facilities as the remodel of Allen Elementary School is in full swing. Just as LU staff did last year, the entire Allen staff has been very accommodating with a wonderful “can do” attitude as they vacate the building so work can continue through the summer. We are also slowly improving the quality of our fleet as we have added several new buses and district vehicles this year. I am also very proud of our district administrative team as they have continued to focus on building based school improvement plans and districtwide goals for improving our organization. They have done an excellent job with the day-to-day problem solving that is key to a smooth running organization.

At the heart of our organization are our certificated staff and specialists who work directly with our children to ensure their quality of education is the highest it can be. This year we can celebrate our gains in curriculum improvement, assessment monitoring, and improved instructional skills. Of significant note is the science grant that promises to vastly improve our K-12 science curriculum in the future. We continue to make math and reading our primary classroom emphasis, and we have also adopted a new fine arts curriculum for implementation next fall. We have developed a partnership with the Museum of Northwest Art for our K-6 students and will have expanded classroom opportunities in the future. This year our ACTS Program included debate in the curriculum as students had their first taste of debate at a competitive level.

After a long year of research, and planning, West View Elementary will implement a Dual Language Program next year beginning in grades K-1. This is a major change in our current instructional practices and is significant in that this innovation is driven by a desire to help all students achieve at higher levels.

Together we all make this school district the excellent place it is for students to learn. Each one of you can be proud of your contributions to the Burlington-Edison School District .

I am extremely proud of the work we do together and thank you for all of your efforts this past year. I hope you have a restful, relaxing summer, and I look forward to seeing you in the fall.