I wish to welcome everyone to the start of the new school year. I anticipate the 2007-08 school year to be an exciting and rewarding year for all!

Our summer has been a very busy time for staff and students. Our summer sport camps, music and YES programs were very successful, providing our students with extended learning opportunities and much fun! Many students attended our summer high school program and our SCOPE pre-K program. Twenty-four new teachers participated in an orientation program. The orientation included training for both new teachers and senior faculty members who will serve as their mentors. I commend all of our administrators, teachers, staff members and students who worked so diligently this summer!

We have also been very busy filling administrative positions. As everyone knows by now, the Board of Education has made several appointments. Mr. Roger Bloom has been appointed principal of the Memorial Middle School and Mrs. Penny Fisher has been appointed principal of the J. Fred Sparke Elementary School. Mr. John Rezek is our new Technology Director and Mr. Edward Mercurio was appointed to the position of Director of Facilities. I want to take this opportunity to thank the teachers, administrators and parents who participated in the search processes to fill these positions. I know everyone will join me in welcoming them to our Island Trees family!

During the upcoming year, we anticipate working on some exciting initiatives. We will continue to expand our technology program by adding additional computers at the high school and our elementary schools. All core curricular areas have been mapped and we plan to complete foreign language this year. New textbooks have been purchased in virtually every curriculum area over the past three years and we will purchase new textbooks in foreign language and science at the elementary level this year. In the area of athletics, we hope to add a golf team, winter track and freshman baseball at the high school.

A very exciting and important initiative involves our Capital Plan. Our Board of Education has worked with district administration and the district's architectural firm, H2M, to formulate a Capital Plan to ensure the district's buildings and grounds are properly maintained, our children and staff continue to function in safe and secure environments and that we continue to provide the tools necessary to improve student achievement. Our most recent District Newsletter, mailed to our residents this past July, provides more details about the Capital Plan. The Board of Education will be conducting a series of meetings this fall to ensure our entire community becomes well-informed about the many proposed projects and has sufficient opportunities to provide feedback.

Much work has been done to prepare our buildings and grounds for the new school year. Our custodians and maintenance personnel have worked hard to ensure our buildings are ready for our students, faculty and staff. I commend them for a job well done!

I congratulate our administrators, faculty, custodial, maintenance, clerical, nursing and food service personnel for all their hard work that will ensure a smooth transition to the new school year! I look forward to another year filled with wonderful educational opportunities for our children!