Superintendent’s Message
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Timberlane Community for supporting our schools at the polls on March 12th. Your support of the Teachers Contract and next year’s budget sends a loud and clear message that our kids come first. I realize that not everyone voted for these articles….so we have some work to do. It is my hope that over time trust will build and more people will be on board. Timberlane is on the move….and community support is essential.
Recently 8th grade parents received a letter from me about deciding on which high school experience would be best for their children. I am very excited about the future of our high school. It is my hope that all of our 8th grade parents will share in that excitement. Our Freshman Academy will be presented to our 8th grade students soon, as a smooth transition to the high school and continued surround care and support is our goal. In my letter I asked parents not selecting our high school to share with me how they feel we fall short of their expectations. That information will be a major driver as we develop action plans for improvement. Course end exams, academic rigor, college preparation and the investigation of an ROTC program lead the list of suggested improvements. We will work diligently to meet the needs of all of our families, but never at the expense of each other. This is urgent and challenging work that must be attacked patiently to ensure sustainability.
Currently students, parents and staff are participating in a Middle School Report Card survey. The results of this survey will be reviewed and analyzed by our newly developed Assessment Team, also known as the A-Team. Data driven recommendations and decisions will be made using this information. I am eagerly awaiting the results so we can be clear about the future vision of our middle school.
The postings for the Academic Deans’ positions at the high school will be out soon. This will be the first stage in the reorganization of the high school; however, their work will not be limited to just the high school. We will be developing Vertical Teams led by our Academic Deans to work with the middle school. By working closely together our curriculum and assessment will have a systemic approach that meets the needs of all our children.
We are continuing to work on the safety and security in all of our buildings. Although I cannot go into detail for the obvious reasons, due to the support from our Board, many upgrades are being implemented. We take the safety and security of your children very seriously. Thank you for your support and patience as access to buildings has been significantly reduced and modified.
Our 2013-2014 school calendar has been approved by the Board. Several changes have been made. I call your attention to the start day, which is before Labor Day. I ask that you take the school calendar into consideration as you plan family vacations. I would like to thank the Timberlane Teachers Association, the Professional Development Committee and our School Board for working together to find the best calendar for the 2013-2014 school year.
As always please feel free to contact me directly at Earl.metzler@Timberlane .net, or by calling my office at 603-382-6119 and asking for Cathy Belcher. Thank you again for your continued support.