A Message from our Board President
Dear Neighbor:
Welcome to a new school year. We have an expectation of excellence in Pleasantville but, excellence is not a static condition. This District has an ethos of valuing both the vision of the individual and the voice of the community. In these difficult economic times, we need to find new ways to demonstrate that ethos. The Superintendent and the Board have begun a series of informal open conversations with residents and staff about what is valued in our school community. Whether these conversations are held in the home of residents, a local store, in the context of a civic organization, or in the schools, it is the expectation of the Board, and our charge to the Administration, to engage in candid dialogue with our stakeholders. We need to understand what is valued and the stakeholders need to be clear on the nature of the costs. We have re-structured the Board meetings to more effectively communicate our objectives and to engage each other and the community in an exchange of ideas.
The first issue of the District Newsletter and a subsequent electronic survey will solicit your opinions about how we communicate with each other. As part of the new budget process we will begin a series of community conversations on Saturday September 25th (1:30-3:30 PM) at the Bedford Road School, Saturday October 2nd (1:30-3:30 PM) at the Middle School and on the evening of Wednesday October 13th (7:30-9:30 PM) at the High School. Each meeting, open to all residents and staff, will focus on the programs and mission of the building in which it is held. During a process that will take the better part of the school year we will examine all programs to identify the cost of ownership within a model of economic sustainability. We ask that you join us at these meetings, at informal coffees and teas, and at school board meetings throughout the year so that we can more closely match your expectations with what we deliver and with the costs of that delivery.
We wish you and the students of the District a successful and rewarding experience during the 2010-2011 school year.
Sincerely,
Sol Skolnick
President
