Here we are, almost one full week into our seventh school year as a city system. For the middle and high school students, everything is new so I expect there may have been some kinks in parking, getting to classrooms, etc., but overall, everything is running smoothly. Your cooperation and patience are appreciated.



Good News and Disappointing News; Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

of the No Child Left

Behind Act

The good news is, as you have probably already read, Leeds Elementary School made AYP again for the 2009 school year. The faculty and staff are to be congratulated on this achievement. Last year, it was the graduation rate that prevented the high school from making AYP. The graduation rate is up nine percent this year – so that is good news.

The disappointing news is that the Leeds Middle School and Leeds High School did not make AYP for this past year. Everyone worked so hard, yet one area kept each school from meeting AYP requirements.

Reading scores were the problem at Leeds High School and lack of attendance prevented Leads Middle School from making AYP. We all know that this is absolutely not acceptable. Rest assured that everything possible will be done during this school year to correct these problems.

Let’s go back and look at middle school requirements for AYP. There were 21 categories of goals and we met 20 of them. To score satisfactorily on the attendance category, we needed 94.5 or higher. We scored 94.4.

One student more in attendance would have made the difference.

Parents, you are the ones who must see to it that your children get to school every day. In order to learn, students must be present in school. Every day lost makes it harder and harder for a student keep up or catch up. In Leeds, absences cannot be due to a lack of transportation because the system provides bus service. So, what is it? We had a drive last year to improve attendance but it obviously did not succeed. This will be a priority for the coming school year.

Alabama Law states that all students enrolled must be in school every day except for cases of documented sickness and legal quarantine. Parents can face fines and/or imprisonment for truancy! So, you see, parents – this is not a choice. YOU MUST MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN SCHOOL AND ON TIME, READY TO LEARN - EVERY DAY.

Your school system is charged by the state to enforce compulsory attendance laws. Look for the system to be even more diligent in enforcing these laws during the upcoming year.

Now, we will look at reading scores at the high school. We know that improving the reading skills of your high schoolers is the responsibility of the system. We will do everything we can to see that your children improve in this area. I’ll provide more information on this category next week.

But parents, starting right now, you can help. Encourage your children (yes, even high school students) to read. Set aside time for the family to come together in a quiet room to read to themselves and/or to each other. Do this nightly, if possible, but certainly weekly. Ask your students questions that require them to read to find the answers. If you have not been to our fine Leeds Jane Culbreth Library, now is the time to go. Take them to the library and let them check out books, even ones that may seem to you to be too easy. What you are trying to do encourage them to enjoy reading so they will want to read.

Check out books related to their interests. For example, if they enjoy football, ask the librarian to help you find books about famous football players. Soon, they may discover that they like to read. This will carry over into the classroom.



Other Ways Parents Can Help the System

Send to the schools, those little red Box Top Education Labels that are on many cans and boxes; especially soup cans and cereal boxes. Every label you cut out and give to your school is worth 10 cents.

Just 10 labels provide a teacher with $1 cash. Twenty parents sending 10 labels a month would provide the class room with $20 every month!!! Best of all, it does not cost the parents anything except a little time to cut the label out and get it to the school office. Nestle water bottles have labels that can also be sent to the schools.

When you purchase items at Office Max or Target, be sure to tell them you want a portion of the sale to go to your school system. They will look up the code for City of Leeds School System and credit us with a percentage. They will send a check to the school quarterly. This does not cost you anything extra either



Adopt a Classroom

An organization you are in, or you alone, could adopt a classroom. This would mean some financial donation for those who can afford it, but this is a very meaningful and helpful way to use your funds.

Contribute monthly when you pay your water bill. This is almost painless. Your bill from the Water Works Board has a box to check if you want to make a monthly contribution. You can choose any amount – $1 a month, $10 a month, $100 a month and on and on – whatever you can afford and want to contribute.

Whatever amount you state is automatically added to your water bill each month. The Water Works Board then writes the system a check for whatever has been donated. You will hardly notice a $1 or $5 (or more) addition to your water bill, but when all those contributions are put together, it makes a significant difference to your schools.



Volunteer

There are many, many needs in every school. All help is appreciated from reading regularly to the children to helping with lawn maintenance to helping in the office! Whatever skill you have, we can use it, and it will be very meaningful to our children and to you.



Join a support

organization

Each school’s PTO does so much for the schools. They need your membership and support, even if you can’t attend regularly. The Athletic Booster Club raises funds to support all areas of athletics. Your dues provide much needed funding to keep the organizations alive and working for the schools.



Purchase items that clubs are selling as fundraisers

Last year I bought a smoked Boston Butt, a spiral sliced ham, cookie dough, a coupon for a 10 percent savings at specific restaurants, a T-shirt and I don’t remember what all else. Student clubs and school-related organizations use funds from their fund-raisers to benefit our students.



Welcoming Reception for Mr. Moore and Open House at New Schools

On August 23, the City of Leeds School System will host an Open House at the new high school and at the new middle school. The schools will be open from 2 p.m. until about 3:30 p.m. The formal dedication will begin at 4 p.m. in the theater at the high school. This will be followed by a reception to welcome our superintendent, Mr. John J. Moore. The public is invited to all of the festivities.



A Closing Reminder

The year has begun! Our team is moving forward again. We continue working together to provide our students with the best possible education. Be supportive, look for ways to help, be positive and we will succeed. Go, team!