News from the Superintendent: September 14, 2009

September 13, 2009

Good morning.

Several weeks ago, APS—led by the Schools & Community Partnerships Department—along with UNM Athletics and KOAT-TV Channel 7 distributed backpacks full of school supplies to about 5,100 of our neediest students. KOAT and a handful of generous sponsors continued another school supplies drive which netted supplies for 4,650 APS students, while several other smaller drives helped push the total of students served to about 10,150. That’s a 25 percent increase over last year!

With the current state of the economy, the need was much greater this year, and people rose to the occasion to give even more. I’m grateful to the generous individuals and businesses who helped the less fortunate, and proud of the efforts of dedicated volunteers who put supplies in kids’ hands. That leads me to the next effort we need to make.
  
One thing that strikes me about APS employees is their willingness to help. You are constantly going the extra mile to assist a child, or to help out a co-worker. It’s really quite moving. And though I know times are very tough economically, I’m asking our employees this year to dig deep as the APS/United Way Campaign begins this week. Never has the need within the district been so great.

When I think about giving to the United Way, I wonder whether we could give up two big cups of coffee per pay period. At your corner coffee shop, that would cost about $5, and over the course of the year, would add up to more than $100. If our 14,000 employees averaged a $100 gift to the United Way, the district would realize more than $1 million.

And while I am talking about dollar figures, please remember: The bottom line is that these dollars help our kids.

The APS Education Foundation is in charge of the United Way campaign, and last year moved every undesignated United Way dollar toward programs within APS. Your money helped:

• Students in the district’s Title I/Homeless Project.
• Sustain the Extended Learning program, which aids elementary school children with reading and math skills.
• Support Join-A-School’s Creative Grants program, which honors some of the district’s best and most innovative teachers.
• Create and sustain scholarship programs.

A gift designated to a school/program/APS Foundation can go a long way collectively to filling great needs. I think you’ll agree it’s money well-spent.

The United Way campaign’s theme for 2009 is “Live United.”  We’re encouraging our schools to modify that for their own communities – Highland United, Lavaland United, Polk United, etc. It’s just another way to show Albuquerque that we are focused on helping one another, and that we are bonded together regardless of where we work.

We are APS United. And all it cost was a couple of cups of coffee. Thanks for giving caffeine a break.

Have a great week.

Winston Brooks
Superintendent