Often, at the beginning of a new year, we take the opportunity to assess the progress we are making in our personal and professional lives. When we recognize areas where results might not match our needs, goals, and core values, we often make changes to better align our efforts with our intentions. Quitting a bad habit, changing our diet, and committing to particular routines to promote better efficiency or organization are quite common in our society. By evaluating ourselves and focusing on success, we hope that our actions will lead to a more enjoyable and productive life.

As a school district, our organization also continues to focus on success as we work toward the mission that has been set by our community for preparing all students to become lifelong learners, caring individuals, and responsible citizens. The staff, administration, and school board continue to examine district operations and programs to identify what we need to quit, what we need to change, and what we could be promoting.  Everyone in the school district continues to work to achieve a vision defined by strong partnerships, aligned resources, well-rounded educational experiences, high academic achievement, prepared graduates, efficient systems, and a quality and effective staff. 

Some of the most significant items that we are currently working on in our school district include the evaluation and review of the following:

• Programming and staffing for academic intervention and personalized learning opportunities.
  
  
• Greater technology access and use for instruction and student learning.
  
  
• K-5 math curriculum and instruction.
  
  
• The expansion of summer school programming.
  
  
• The potential for a language immersion offering for our students.
  
  
• School district finances and the development of the budget for 2015-2016.
  
  
• Systems and policies related to district operations and staffing.

As we examine how our school district can maximize success in these and other areas, we will continue to be guided by the direction identified by school district stakeholders during the “Great Conversation”. According to core values developed by our families, staff, and community members in Menomonie, we value integrity, so we will be honest, courageous, responsible, and accountable. We value excellence, so we will nurture growth, be our best, and expect the best. We value respect, so we will honor others and self, protect, listen, and appreciate. We value trust, so we will share, be reliable, be consistent, and follow through. And, we value community, so we will care, serve, unite, be loyal, and celebrate. 

It can sometimes be difficult to make changes, but by continuing to focus on the success of our children, we hope that our actions will lead to a more enjoyable and productive educational experience for everyone in our community.

A Final Reminder:  Anyone who is interested in running for a seat on the School District of the Menomonie Area Board of Education needs to file a declaration of candidacy form by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, at the Administrative Service Center (ASC) located at 215 Pine Avenue. More information and the forms required for candidacy are available at the ASC, and a Guide for Candidates publication is also available on the website of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB). Should school stakeholders have any questions about becoming a school board member or anything else regarding our school district, I invite you to visit the ASC or contact me at 715-232-1642. More information about our schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline).