News from the Superintendent: December 7, 2009

December 6, 2009

Good morning.

As you can see, the Perspective employee newsletter is back, and in electronic format. This is one of our communication upgrades that include the new Web site to be launched in January. Please let the Communications Office know what you think of the new format.

Let me start out by congratulating the La Cueva High football team on winning the Class 5-A state championship. It was an outstanding performance Saturday to cap an outstanding season.

The topic of budget cuts continues to come up as we draw closer to the 2010 Legislative session. I’ve been sharing with groups I’ve met with that we should expect more cuts in our 2010-11 budget. Honestly, we don’t really know where we stand right now, because we don’t know how large the deficit will be or whether the legislature will increase taxes.

In the 18 months that I’ve been superintendent, we have cut $24 million, and 95 percent of that has been away from classrooms. I would say we’ve done a masterful job of keeping cuts out of classrooms, but I want you to be aware that, truthfully, it will be impossible to continue. The next cuts we have to make can’t help but affect classrooms.

I’m sharing this with you because I want to be frank with you, and because I know that many of you have heard or read in the local news about specific decisions I’ve supposedly made already. No specific decisions have been made.

Please know that I have not decided to do away with instructional coaches. What I have done is respond to questions asked by reporters about what changes I could consider. This was just an example of something that could be considered. These folks are licensed teachers who could go back into the classroom. That’s all. My goal is to keep cuts away from the classroom and maintain our essential functions. Period.

There’s never a good time for budget cuts, especially when there are so many examples of things going right in schools. There are 158 West Mesa High students signed up to take the ACT on Saturday. That’s three times as many as they’ve ever had take the test at one time. At Rio Grande High, there are 200 more students academically eligible to participate in activities than there had been. We should take heart that we’re on an upswing right now, and we need to do everything we can to keep the momentum going.

I would like to congratulate the students and staff at Sombra del Monte Elementary on the renovated buildings they are now working and learning in. I’m told that their redone classrooms and library look spectacular. Congratulations also to students and staff at Alvarado Elementary, who are celebrating the opening of a new kindergarten addition on Wednesday.

Have a great week.

Winston Brooks
Superintendent