Superintendent’s News

It's a great feeling to be back in school and to have the opportunity to work with the students here and the excellent teachers that strive to give them the quality education they deserve. I hope all are as excited as I am to be back and be able to look forward to learning and seeing friends in class again. We have had to face some difficult issues with less money than we had last year and more requirements to fulfill at each level, but we have worked hard to continue to offer the best instruction possible to all students.

It appears that we will have to continue to charge admission at all sports events this year, including Middle School events. Please remember that the District needs the money to pay for the helpers, the officials, and the equipment needed to run the programs we're privileged to watch. Please do not argue with our ticket takers about paying for events. If our revenues continue to decline, we may have to cut programs entirely. Remember, sports programs are a privilege to be a part of, and that the School District provides them as a courtesy, not a requirement.

Regarding attendance at school, research indicates that students who are in school a majority of time do better on state tests. The same studies indicate that children who are absent more often score lower on state tests. Being late for school or class hurts a student's learning, also. A student who is ten minutes late every day will miss thirty hours of instruction during the year. Students can copy notes or make up assignments, but they can never get back the most important parts of any lesson they miss: the discussions, the questions, the teacher's explanations and the thinking during class that makes learning come alive. As a school district, our job is to teach children, but we can't do that job if your child is consistently absent. A student who misses a day of school misses a day of learning.

Thank you all again for the opportunity to work with your children! If you have any concerns or questions, please call or stop by our office.

Sincerely,

David L. Kerns

Superintendent, Clark County School District #161