We are humbled by our growing student population. We are honored that each year more parents entrust us with the care and education of their children. This year 16,299 students are enrolled in our district. This continues the trend we have experienced of steady growth over the past five years.
We are also thankful for the dedication of our educators, who help students to grow academically. Our most recent ISTEP scores provide a glimpse into the progress they are making. Because of their intentional work to meet every students’ needs we earned, nine A’s, five B’s and three C’s. Two of our elementary schools increased from C’s to an A’s within one year! These scores are incredible achievement, especially considering we serve more than 4,800 English learner students who speak 73 languages.
We are grateful for the opening of our four kindergarten academies, which was made possible because of our generous community. We serve 1,440 kindergarten students in those academies. That allowed us to free up classroom space in other elementary schools. At the start of the year the academies will welcome assistant principals who will help the building principals provide leadership. Because of the focus the district places on professional development, we were able promote our assistant principals from within.
• Stacy Knoop – promoted from master teacher at Homecroft Kindergarten to assistant principal at MacArthur Kindergarten.
• Stacey Snyder – promoted from dean/adviser at Southport Middle to assistant principal at Homecroft Kindergarten.
• Angela Swails – promoted from master teacher at Burkhart Elementary to assistant principal at Rosa Parks Kindergarten.
• Brian Witt – promoted from assistant athletic director at Southport High to assistant principal at Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten.
We welcomed qualified candidates from within and outside the district to apply for the positions that were vacated.
We are also thankful for all that is to come. In June we will start the project to expand Perry Meridian and Southport sixth-grade academies and middle schools. Approximately 455 additional students are estimated for Grades 6-8 by 2021-22, so it’s important for us to plan now for that surge by adding 39 classrooms.
This project will be paid for with savings that remain from our existing construction fund, as well as rainy day funds. The school district will not propose a bond referendum, and taxes will not be increased as a result of this project.
We have so much to be thankful for here in Perry Township. We take nothing for granted, and we appreciate our community of supporters who encourage us along the way.