Carolyn's Corner

August 2004
Well, like it or not, the summer is gone and the 2004-05 school year has begun. I hope that all of you had a wonderful summer full of exciting adventures and that you are returning to the new school year rejuvenated, invigorated and ready to tackle the many challenges that we face here in the Pajaro Valley, and challenges there are for all of us. Also, a warm and sincere welcome to all of our new teachers and other certificated staff, and the new classified and administrative employees, who have come aboard this year to fight the good fight with the rest of us.

As I look back at last school year, we confronted many difficult and trying tests. There was the daunting California budget crisis along with the ensuing recall election which made planning the future a crapshoot. We agreed to furlough days to help balance the district budget which of course upset the continuity of instruction, not to mention our budgets. There was all the No Child Left Behind nonsense with its accompanying AYP scores which pushed so many of our wonderful schools into the “under performing” category. These labels then precipitated the district team's school scans and focused walks which intimidated and enraged so many of you. And then to top it off, everyone had to qualify to become a “Highly Qualified Teacher” under the ever-present NCLB.

So what did we learn through all of this turmoil? Well, for starters, we found that Californians would elect the Terminator to become governor, to the glee of the rest of the nation, who also couldn't deliver a budget on time in spite of his promises and “girlie men” antics. But we also learned here in PVUSD that we have wonderful students who are resilient and actively learning throughout the district.

We found that ALL of our schools are safe, clean and orderly learning environments in which students are being instructed and held to high standards by talented, well-trained, and enthusiastic staffs who spend way too much of their own time to make the magic happen! In fact, there is so much superior instruction and learning happening throughout this district that it is very upsetting to me to hear Board and community members say that we are “short changing” our students when they look at the test scores. If they would visit classrooms anywhere in the district, they would find that to be far, far from the truth.

As we begin this new school year, we still face the two dragons: the California budget crisis and No Child Left Behind regulations which are forever changing and never, it seems, for the better. We also are facing the most important election in our lifetime. Each of these issues can have a lasting effect on the quality of our professional and personal lives for years to come!

As the year unfolds, we will keep you informed and up to date along with fighting for your precious time and your rights to use it as you deem necessary to get your very difficult job done in the competent and professional way that you have always done. Have a great year and we'll keep fighting the good fight together!

“The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt

Carolyn Savino