We’re already in the third six weeks of school, and the holiday season is fast approaching. While we’re all looking forward to a few days off, please remember that your children’s school attendance is important. Please encourage them to attend school every day possible unless they are ill. It’s often difficult to make up the work for the days they miss, and research tells us that poor attendance begins with habit patterns sometimes formed in the first few years of formal schooling.
Goose Creek CISD recently welcomed participants at the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC) Conference to tour our academies and visit classes. Four of the seven academy tour options for those attending the Region 4 conference were in our district, including Stuart Career Tech High School, Robert E. Lee High School STEM Academy, Ross S. Sterling High School Health Science Academy and Goose Creek Memorial High School Global Business Academy. More than 200 guests from all over the nation, including Hawaii, toured our schools. As our academies work toward becoming Model Academies for NCAC, we are confident that they are doing an exceptional job of preparing our students for college and careers, and we are proud that they are receiving this national recognition.
It is an exciting time in which we are wrapping up one bond and preparing another. I’m so proud of how the 2013 Bond was executed, fulfilling a commitment to our community. Our projected growth continues to show an increasing student population, pressing us to develop a new bond. The process includes help from the community in defining our needs moving forward. If you have served on one of these committees, THANK YOU! If you have not and wish to, please contact us so that we can get you involved in the excitement of planning for the future.
When I pause to reflect about what I’m thankful for, which I always do this time of year, many things come to mind. As I make my way around the district each week, I am grateful to all our Goose Creek CISD employees who make such a difference in the lives of our students every day. I appreciate the Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation for supporting our students and teachers as well as our business and industry partners for working with us to provide mentoring and funding for programs. The Partners In Education program through the Baytown Chamber of Commerce is a valuable resource for our schools, and I’m pleased that we have had the opportunity to work together for more than 30 years.
As I always say, I’m proud to be the leader of this excellent school district, and I’m pleased to live in this wonderful community where we feel safe and supported by our law enforcement and first responders who do a remarkable job every day. I’m grateful to be able to work with such dynamic and focused teachers and leaders. Of course, I am thankful for my family and friends. I’m also thankful that I’ve completed my doctorate after several long years – and I’m sure my family is, too. I hope you, too, will take time to breathe in and breathe out, reflecting upon all that we have to be thankful for each day.
From my family to yours, have a wonderful holiday season!