FROM THE DESK OF:

Mr. Wayne Starnes, Superintendent

YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED

The Bellevue Board of Education will host an ABC Retreat on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at the Callahan Center.  The invited guests to the retreat are the Administrators of the district, the Board of Education members, and the Site-based Council members.  The purpose of the retreat is to review the district’s vision, mission, and belief statements.  Also, we will review our district goals and discuss any revisions to these goals. 

Again, we would like to solicit your feedback on the following district goals and share your input with the participants at the ABC Retreat.  Our belief statements and goals are as follows:

We believe that our fundamental mission is to graduate students that are ready to take on a career/further training and/or college successfully, so

Goal #1 is to increase the student College/Career Readiness Rate for our graduates from 21% to 61% by 2015.

We believe that students will have the best chance of career/college success through rigorous, relevant content instruction, so

Goal #2 is that 80% of our students will score in the average range or higher in reading and math (grades 3 through 8) by 2015 

We believe that all students can learn, even though they learn at different rates.  Furthermore, every child deserves to be challenged and should show growth every year.  So,  

Goal #3 is for 80% of our students at each grade level to show 1 year’s academic growth (unless they’ve exceeded their current grade level) in English/Reading, Math and Science (MAPS scores will help us track this).

We believe that teachers are the KEY to student engagement in learning and should have the resources necessary to guide students in this process, therefore

Goal #4 is to have a functioning curriculum document in place at all three levels (elementary, middle and high school) by the end of the 2011-12 school year (with documentation of vertical mapping/scope & sequence).

Finally, we believe that an essential component of student success is the engagement of families in the educational process, so

Goal #5 is to increase the parent/guardian/family engagement in conferences by 10% each year over the next 4 years, with a baseline goal of 40% this school year.

Please submit your suggestions via email to wayne.starnes@bellevue.kyschools.us or by calling me at (859) 261-2108.

QUOTES FROM LIFE’S LITTLE INSTRUCTION BOOK

By H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Rutledge Hill Press

• Compliment 3 people every day
• Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.
• Hug children after you discipline them.
• In business and in family relationships, remember that the most important thing is trust.
• Tell your kids often how terrific they are and that you trust them.
• Smile a lot.  It costs nothing and is beyond price.
• Learn to listen.  Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly.
• Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.
• When playing games with children, let them win.
• Turn off the television at dinner time.
• Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
• Don’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
• Wave at children on school buses.
• Let your children overhear you saying complimentary things about them to other adults.
• Work hard to create in your children a good self-image.  It’s the most important thing you can do to insure their success.
• Take charge of your attitude.  Don’t let someone else choose it for you.
• Read to your children.
• Sing to your children.
• Listen to your children.  

MEMBERS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT’S STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL SHINE!!

I would like to publicly thank thirteen incredible leaders from Bellevue High School who have served on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council during the 2011-12 school year.  Of the thirteen members, four are freshmen, four are sophomores, four are juniors, and one is the senior liaison to the Board of Education.  These young men and women have met with me each month and have provided important input and perspective on a variety of issues at Bellevue High School.  I certainly appreciate the leadership and the commitment to excellence that they have displayed the entire school year.  The council members for the 2011-2012 school year are as follows:

9^th                       Sandy Lambert 
                            Logan Lucas
                            Maggie Wissman
                            Steven Snow 

10^th                     Jackie Sexton
                            Abbie Janson
                            Zack Poinsette
                            Austin Quillen 

11^th                     Maddie Martin
                            Nick Haire
                            Ashley Reed 
                            Ethan Tolliver 

12^th                     Lauren Riehl