MARCH 3, 2010 - “Letter to parents” - by Jim Colyott, District Superintendent
Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,
Although the
· Reduce professional development budgets throughout the District by approximately 50%.
· Reduce supply/equipment budgets throughout the District by approximately 50%.
· Reduce two (2) instructional aide positions, leaving thirteen (13) instructional aide positions remaining (reading aides, library aides, special education aides.)
· Reduce a fourth grade teaching position, leaving two (2) sections of fourth grade remaining (projected fall FY11 enrollment is 52 students.)
· Reduce a fifth grade teaching position, leaving two (2) sections of fifth grade remaining (projected fall FY11 enrollment is 57 students.) ** The Board will carefully monitor fifth grade enrollment to determine if an additional section is needed once enrollment becomes final in August **
· Reduce twenty-five extra days of employment for three (3) certified teachers (PGS physical education teacher, PHS industrial arts teacher, and PHS guidance counselor.)
· Reduce PGS art teaching position to half (½) time, resulting in grades 2-5 with one (1) art class per week instead of two (2) art classes per week. All other art class will be unchanged.
· Enact a salary freeze for all support staff positions in the District. These include: bus drivers, van drivers, head cooks, assistant cooks, head custodians, custodians, instructional aides, library aides, special education aides, secretaries, substitute teachers, academic tutors, book keeper, substitute coordinator, technology director, and transportation manager.
The Princeville Board of Education is committed to the many services it provides to the students and families of the Princeville Community. We intend to continue to operate your schools over the next several years at high quality level, even with anticipated loss of over $600,000 in state revenue for FY11. We intend to use our reserve funds in order to minimize any loss of services to the students and families, and intend to continue to maintain the safety and security of our facilities in the future.
It is our
hope that as school districts surrounding the area cut curricula, programs,
and/or athletics, that the Princeville Community Unit School District #326
shines bright in its many offerings and provides the ideal atmosphere for
students and families who may be looking for a school system with a true
commitment to education. However, if the state of
I ask for your support through these difficult times, however long they may last. I encourage you to visit the District web site at the address below to keep current with the “Superintendent’s Communications” as we move through this process. I also encourage you to contact me with any thoughts, comments, and ideas in regard to our financial challenges.
In closing, please support your students, teachers, administrators, and Board members. Together we can get through these incredibly challenging times.
Yours in Education,
Jim
FEBRUARY 16, 2010 - “Financial Update”
- by Jim Colyott, District Superintendent
Previously, I informed you of the projected $12-$14 Billion
dollar deficit that the State of
Besides this potential devastation, I have concerns about
the likely proration of mandated categorical payments this year and the
elimination of state and federal grants for next year, such as early childhood
and NCLB Title grants. The reality is that the revenue in our education fund
could be drastically reduced by up to an additional $400,000 with these other
concerns. Governor Quinn has recently announced that the state budget will not
be finalized on time and will not be released officially until well into
March. Many still fear that no "real" budget information will be
finalized until after the November elections conclude, regardless of what is
passed before then. With all these
unknowns of such significant levels, we must prepare for the worst.
That being said, your administrators and elected members of
the Princeville Board of Education have an incredibly difficult task in front
of them - a task that hasn’t been tackled in our District for many, many years,
if ever! We must develop a plan to reduce $500,000 at a minimum, in the
education fund over the next 18 months - while depending on our reserves. We must do so while maintaining focus on
minimizing any loss of the high quality service that the
The
The planned reductions are:
·
Reduction of a 4th grade teaching
position - leaving two 4th grade sections remaining.
·
Reduction of a 5th grade teaching
position - leaving two 5th grade sections remaining.
·
Reduction of PGS Art to half (½) time which
reduces grades 2-5 art classes to one time per week instead of two. Grade K/1, 6-8, and 9-12 Art will remain
unchanged.
·
Reduction of twenty five (25) “extra days” of
employment for three certified teachers (industrial arts teacher, PHS guidance
counselor, PGS physical education teacher). The other three certified teachers
with “extra days” have committed to retirement and will not be affected by
these “extra day” reductions (by contract.)
These additional personnel extra day reductions will take place upon the
filling of their vacancies after retirement.
I would like to inform you of some financial figures so
that you completely understand the impact of the reductions listed above. The FY10 salaries of 52 teachers and 4
administrators equal $3,265,966. After reducing two and a half (2½) teaching
positions, reducing extra days for three teachers, and paying negotiated
contract raises (3.75% on base + an experience step), the FY11 salaries of 49½
teachers and 4 administrators will equal $3,311,898
(not counting any horizontal movement for any advanced credits or
degrees.) This is actually an INCREASE
in education fund expenditures of $45,932 from FY10. In the finance world, there truly have been
NO reductions, only additional costs of expenditures in the education
fund. Therefore, additional planned reductions
are necessary.
Additional planned reductions are:
·
Reduction of two (2) instructional aide
positions. There is a strong likelihood
that additional instructional aides will be reduced if the state funding does
not improve in the immediate future. The
District is able to reduce non-certified positions with 30 days written notice
to those individuals, unlike teachers who must be informed 45-60 school days
prior to the end of the school year.
·
Significant line item reductions for supplies
and equipment (an average of 50% reductions District-wide)
·
Significant reductions of the annual board
member training conference in
·
Significant reduction in professional
development funds that will be available for teachers, administrators, and
noncertified personnel (an expected 50% reduction in professional development
at a minimum)
·
The Board has committed to a “salary freeze”
for all operations and maintenance support staff (custodians and maintenance personnel),
all transportation support staff (bus drivers, van drivers, and transportation
manager), and all educational support staff (aides, book keeper, cooks, library
aides, secretaries, substitute coordinator, substitute teachers, technology
director, tutors, etc.)
After considering all reductions listed above, the District
expects to save the following amounts per fund: $191,967 in the
education fund, $8,114 in the operations and maintenance fund, $5,789
in the transportation fund, and a total savings of approximately $205,000 of all three funds combined
(ED, O&M, and Transportation). As you can see, we have not nearly
reached the level of reductions that the state may potentially force upon us,
so we will have to rely very heavily on reserves for another year, which means
deficit spend for yet another year. This
is not a solution! If the state of
It is times like these, where we as educators need to pull
together for the overall benefit of the Princeville Community - not just our
school district. We need to become as
unified as possible, stand together against the obstacles, set any and all
petty difference aside, and focus our energy on our daily tasks - the
students! I ask for your support for
each other, support for your administration, support for your Board of
Education, and support for your community members.
Additionally, please notice the following information
regarding the usage of school funds so you may better understand the separation
of dollars as required by Illinois State Board of Education:
SCHOOL FUNDS - The school district’s
accounting records, budgets and financial reports are organized and reported on
a fund basis. A fund is established for specific activities and objectives and
is operated in accordance with laws, regulations, restrictions or other
designated purposes. Each fund is a separate and independent accounting entity
with its own assets, liabilities and fund balance. The number of funds created depends on the
school district’s operations, rather than size. Nine reporting funds are listed
on the School District Budget Form (ISBE 50-36). The following account codes/definitions are
provided in the accounting rules [23 IAC 100] and are used to designate nine
funds for reporting purposes:
10 - Educational Fund - The most varied and the largest volume of transactions
will be recorded in the Educational Fund. This is due most because the
Educational Fund covers transactions that are not specifically covered in
another fund. Certain expenditures that must be charged to this fund include
the direct costs of instruction, health and attendance services, lunch
programs, all costs of administration (even those for buildings and grounds),
and related insurance costs. Certain revenues that must be credited to this
fund include educational tax levies, tuition and textbook rentals. The salaries of janitors, engineers, and
other custodial employees and all costs of fuel, lights, gas, water, telephone
service, and custodial supplies and equipment shall be charged to this fund. The
school board may approve, by resolution, to charge to the Operations and
Maintenance Fund all salaries of janitors, engineers, or other custodial
employees and all costs of fuel, lights, gas, water, telephone service, and
custodial supplies and equipment or any one or more of these items, per Section
17-7 of the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/17-7).
20 - Operations & Maintenance Fund - All costs of maintaining,
improving, or repairing school buildings and property, renting buildings and
property for school purposes, or for the payment of premiums for insurance on
school buildings shall be charged to the Operations and Maintenance Fund
and paid from the tax levied for that purpose.
30 - Debt Service Fund - Bonds are generally issued to finance the
construction of buildings, but may also be issued for other purposes. Taxes
are levied to provide cash to retire these bonds and to pay related interest.
To protect the bondholders, these tax collections must be accounted for in the
Debt Service Fund and maintained in separate bond and interest accounts for
each bond issue. If the school board pledges other revenue to pay principal,
interest, or service charges on long-term debt, a separate set of accounts
shall also be established for each additional debt issue (not applicable to
pledged revenue in the Transportation Fund).
40 - Transportation Fund - If a school district pays for transporting
pupils for any purpose, a Transportation Fund must be created. Costs of
transportation, including the purchase of vehicles and insurance on buses, are
to be paid from this fund. Moneys received for transportation purposes from
any source must be deposited into this fund, except for the portion of state
reimbursement applicable to other funds (e.g., utility costs from the
Operations and Maintenance Fund) as provided in Section 29-5 of the Illinois
School Code (105 ILCS 5/29-5).
50 - Municipal Retirement/Social Security Fund - This fund is created if a
separate tax is levied for the school district’s share of retirement
benefits for covered employees or a separate tax is levied for the purpose of
providing resources for the district’s share of Social Security and/or Medicare
only payments for covered employees. If any of these taxes are not levied,
payments for such purposes shall be charged to the fund where the salaries are
charged.
60 – Capital Projects Fund - All proceeds of each construction bond issue
(other than Fire Prevention and Safety) shall be placed in the Capital Projects
Fund to separately identify these special funds from operating funds. Such moneys
are to be spent for the purpose specified in the bond indenture and on the
ballot. Expenditures which would
ordinarily be charged to the Educational Fund, but which may be charged to the
Capital Projects Fund (unless paid before the fund is created), include
election expenses, fidelity insurance, architect’s fees, legal fees for title
search on sites, fees for the legal opinion on the bonds, and other such
administrative costs directly related to the construction project or issuance
of bonds. Expenditures which would ordinarily be charged to the Operations and
Maintenance Fund, but which may be charged to the Capital Projects Fund (unless
paid before the fund is created), include the actual construction costs,
builder’s risk insurance, purchase of land and other site costs, landscaping,
parking lots, sidewalks, utility connections, etc., and other items directly
related to the construction project.
70 - Working Cash Fund - If a separate tax is levied for working cash
purposes or if bonds are sold for this purpose, this fund shall be created.
Cash available in this fund may be loaned to any fund for which taxes are
levied.
80 - Tort Fund – This fund is created if taxes are levied or bonds are sold for
tort immunity or tort judgment purposes.
90 - Fire
Prevention and Safety Fund - When a
tax is levied or bonds issued for fire prevention, safety, energy
conservation, disabled accessibility, school security and specified purposes,
such proceeds shall be deposited and accounted for separately within the Fire
Prevention and Safety Fund. The .05% levy is to be made only when there are not
sufficient funds available in the Operations and Maintenance Fund; School
Facility Occupation Tax Fund; or Fire Prevention and Safety Fund as determined
by the district on the basis of regulations adopted the ISBE to make such
alterations, repairs, or reconstruction, or to purchase and install such
permanent fixed equipment ordered or determined necessary.
JANUARY
2010 -
“Getting Through Challenging Times Together” - by Jim Colyott, District
Superintendent
I suspect by now that you
have heard that the State of
Looking forward, the
Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability is projecting an $11.4
billion gap in state funding going into Fiscal Year 2011. And, by the time the legislators return to the Capitol for their 2010 spring
session, the funding gap will have likely grown to nearly $13 billion. Illinois legislators are advising school
leaders to expect the Illinois State Board of Education budget line items to
"take a hit" next year, to be cut in ways not seen since 1992. This
incredibly vague advice from legislators is frustrating to school leaders and
makes it extremely difficult to plan for the future. Without adequate funding from the state, the
So,
what does this mean for the
The Princeville Board of
Education, administration and teachers will all strive to work together during
these challenging times for the benefit of the students. Although difficult times are among us, please
rest assured we will do everything in our power to ensure the longevity of the
DECEMBER 2009 - “Home Safety Information” - - by Jim Colyott, District Superintendent
Dear Parents/Guardians,
I am writing to you today to inform you of several
crime incidences that have occurred in and around the boundaries of the
Just yesterday, one of our rural homes was been
broken into and damaged when nobody was home.
A parent informed me of the methodology that was used by the criminals
that I would like to share with you. A
suspicious vehicle, including a male driver and a female passenger, entered the
driveway of a rural residence by backing up very closely to the residence. The female passenger then got out of the
vehicle and knocked on the front door to see if anyone was home, while the male
driver remained in the vehicle with the car running. When the door was
answered, the female simply asked for directions to
For the sake of the children and families of
Princeville I ask that you share this situation with your children and
neighbors, and develop a plan of how to prevent or handle this type of
situation from happening. I have
provided some additional information on the back side of this page to assist.
Please report any suspicious activity to the
Peoria County Police Department and inform me at (309) 385-2213 if you feel the
school children or staff need to know anything further.
Home Safety Tips for Parents (from http://www.mychildsafety.net/home-alone.html)
«
Most states do not
have laws that define when a child is old enough to be left home alone. The
decision to allow a child to stay home alone should be made by the parents on
an individual basis, based on the child’s maturity and comfort level (although
generally no child under the age of eight should be left alone for any period
of time).
«
As a parent, you are
in the best situation to assess your child’s readiness to take on the
responsibility of staying home alone. It is best to start leaving the child
alone for very short periods of time, perhaps 15-20 minutes to evaluate their
readiness. If they seem to do well and
are comfortable being left alone for short periods, you may wish to slowly
increase the time period of your outings up to 1-2 hours for children twelve
and under.
«
In this day and age,
it is common for children to return home after school to an empty house and be
alone until mom or dad return home from work.
Please consider other options.
«
Consider having your
children carry house keys to let themselves into their homes. This is a big
responsibility for children of any age and one which parents need to adequately
prepare them for.
«
Post a list of
emergency numbers including family members, trusted friends and neighbors, and
emergency personnel.
«
Make sure your child
knows his/her phone number and address. Write these on the list of important
numbers. It is very easy for anyone, especially a child, to panic in an
emergency. If included on the list, your child can easily read aloud to a 911
operator in case of emergency.
«
Keep a first aid kit
in the house. Teach your child basic first aid.
«
Make sure there are
working smoke detectors on every floor of the house and teach your child what
to do in case of fire. Practice fire evacuation routes with your children.
«
Keep a flashlight and
batteries in an easily accessible place in case of power outage. Show your
child where to find it.
«
Make sure that your
child has a way to contact you when you are away from the home, including a
cell phone and/or work number. Check your messages often and promptly return
your child’s calls.
«
Limit the kind of
cooking that can be done absent adult supervision.
«
Call and check on your
child. Always call and let them know if you are running late.
Home “Alone” Safety Tips for Children (from http://www.mychildsafety.net/home-alone.html)
«
Keep all doors and
windows locked.
«
Never let anyone into
the house. Do not open the door to strangers.
«
Use caller id or an
answering machine to screen calls. When answering the phone, never tell callers
you are home alone. Tell them your mom/dad is busy and will call them back in a
few minutes.
«
If coming home to an
empty house – never enter the house if there are open or broken windows or
doors, or other signs of forced entry. Leave and get help from a trusted
neighbor.
«
Stay in the house
until parents return home. Do not invite friends over.
«
Tell parents of any
fears or concerns
«
Don’t be afraid to
call the police to report anything suspicious.
OCTOBER 2009 - “H1N1 Update” - by
Jim Colyott, District Superintendent
As
much as I’d like to write about the many, many positive happenings of the
school district and all the exciting and recent news surrounding us, I feel I
should take this opportunity to communicate the most recent information
available regarding the H1N1 flu virus.
Princeville school officials have been informed of H1N1 and Type-A
Influenza (flu) cases in the immediate area and that continued circulation is
expected this fall and winter season throughout
According
to the Peoria County Health Department, when a patient is diagnosed to have the
Type-A flu, it is most likely to be the H1N1 virus
because the seasonal flu “has not yet arrived.”
Apparently, testing for the H1N1 virus has not necessarily been done on
a regular basis with patients exhibiting flu-like symptoms since most flu cases
have been mild and the testing is quite time consuming and expensive. The Princeville Schools have had quite a few
students exhibit these flu-like symptoms this past week and are presumed to
have the H1N1 virus.
Student
and staff attendance at school is being closely monitored by office
personnel. We are reporting daily
absences of students and staff to the Peoria County Regional Office of
Education (ROE). Their tracking of this
data from city/county schools will assist them in their guidance to the school
districts. Please trust that we are
working with local and state health officials to monitor the situation as well
as communicating regularly with the ROE and Illinois State Board of Education
as needed. We will follow their
recommendations.
At this time, Princeville
Schools will remain open and operating normally as long as the functionality of
our schools is possible. Athletic events and extracurricular activities will
continue as scheduled until further notice. You will certainly be notified if
the Illinois Department of Public Health recommends we close our schools for
any reason. We will use the local news
television stations, radio stations, District web sites, and District voice
messaging systems for notification purposes.
Please
remember that the best way to reduce the spread of H1N1 or any other virus is
to practice good hygiene. We encourage you to teach your children to wash their
hands often, keep their hands away from their eyes, nose and mouth, and cover
coughs and sneezes with their sleeve or a tissue. Also, please make sure your children are
eating well and getting plenty of rest in order to keep their immune systems
strong. Please visit the Illinois
Department of Public Health online at http://www.idph.state.il.us/h1n1_flu/index.htm
for more information.
Please
keep your child home from school if he or she shows any flu-like symptoms,
including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and/or
fatigue. Be sure to contact your health
care provider and the school immediately if diagnosed with the Type-A flu. Students who
come to school with flu symptoms will be evaluated by school personnel and sent
to a room separate from others until able to be sent home. Students with the flu should stay home until
at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever,
without the use of fever-reducing medicines. For more information about H1N1
and seasonal flu viruses, please visit http://www.isbe.net/htmls/H1N1.htm,
www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu or www.flu.gov.
Please rest assured that
the health and well being of our students is my top priority. School officials, faculty and staff are doing
everything possible to address the situation and reduce the spread of the flu
viruses.
Please feel free to
contact me at (309) 385-2213 if you have any questions or concerns and as
always, thank you for the support of your
JUNE 2009 - “Farewell for the
Summer” - by Jim
Colyott, District Superintendent
The 2008-2009 school year has ended and the students and staff have disappeared from campus. The summer custodial crews have already begun the summer projects in preparation for the next school year. I thank the District custodial staff in advance for their agonizing efforts this summer!
I would like to recognize and thank several very special people who have committed an incredible amount of time and energy to the Princeville School District for many years: Mrs. Carol Turner has completed her 12th year serving the District as a Copy Clerk and Playground/Cafeteria Supervisor; Mrs. Peggy Shane has completed her 25th year serving the District as a High School Science Teacher ; Mrs. Karen Bliss has completed her 31st year serving the District as a high school and unit office secretary and will continue to act as the District Treasurer; Mrs. Kristy Wooden has just finished her 32nd year serving the District as a junior high math teacher. On behalf of the Board of Education, administration, faculty, staff, and students, I would like to thank our four “retirees” for their combined 100 years of service to the students and families of our community and wish them a final “farewell” from the District. We wish you the absolute best in your long and prosperous retirement.
As we are all well aware, the economic times of today are extremely challenging and unpredictable. The District constantly analyzes its current financial status and makes every decision based on what is best for the students and the overall long term success and stability of the District. Please call me with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your schools. All calls are welcome.
In closing, I thank you all for your continued support of the Princeville Schools. Enjoy your summer!
MARCH 2009 - “The School
Board” - by Jim Colyott, District
Superintendent
The 2009 April elections are just around the corner and there will be several new faces on the PCUSD#326 Board of Education. I would like to take this timely opportunity to comment on the typical responsibilities of a school board and provide suggestions regarding what to look for in a strong school board candidate.
A school board consists of seven voting members who are responsible for district governance, administration and personnel, fiscal management, the overall educational program, and more. Following are only some of the typical responsibilities of a school board:
In the category of governance, the board: (1) creates and reviews district policy, (2) approves district goals and strategic plans, (3) conducts board self assessments, and (4) adopts standards for conduct of school board meetings.
In the category of administration and personnel, the board: (1) hires and evaluates the superintendent, (2) approves administrative goals, (3) appoints, reviews, grants tenure, and terminates certified and non-certified personnel, and (4) conducts negotiations with the teachers’ union and ratifies the collective bargaining agreement
In the category of fiscal management, the board: (1) adopts the budget and tax levy, (2) approves construction projects, (3) pays monthly bills, and (4) determines future plans for district facilities
In the category of educational program, the board: (1) adopts changes in the educational program and curriculum, (2) evaluates the educational program and assessments, and (3) adopts textbooks
In general, school board members must continuously strive to: (1) learn more about the school system, (2) maintain positive school community relations, (3) remain actively involved in district activities, and (4) most importantly, always act in the best interest of all students in the district, while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
I wish the best to the four candidates running for the three school board vacancies in April (alphabetically): Andrew Black from Akron Township, Leslie Ptak from Princeville Township, Andrew Simmons from Jubilee Township, and Ron Streitmatter from Akron Township. Writing in the Illinois School Board Journal, Professor Stuart Anderson suggested the following qualities to look for in a strong school board candidate: “(1) demonstrates success in a vocation or avocation, whether it be as a farmer, attorney, homemaker, service station operator, salesperson, or accountant; (2) displays a real concern for community improvement through membership in service clubs, parent/teacher organizations, church, or fraternal groups; (3) expresses a desire to serve on the school board in order to provide the entire community with a good educational system; (4) is willing and able to spend the time required to become an informed and effective school board member; and (5) exhibits the ability to work cooperatively with other people.”
In closing, I would like to thank the current PCUSD#326 Board of Education members for their endless time and efforts in affecting positive change in the Princeville Schools: President Bruce Stoller, Vice President Steve Rees, Secretary Leslie Ptak, Miles Colwell, Darin Cowser, Chris Steidinger, and Doug Streitmatter.
JANUARY 2009 - “A New Year of
Thanks” - by Jim Colyott, District
Superintendent
I thank the State Bank of Speer for sponsoring this edition of “The Prince” and for their continued financial support. Their annual generosity with their school grant program has been very successful in which our students and teachers have benefited. This year, Speer Bank sponsored $4,897 towards academic supplemental supplies and donated over $25,000 over the past thirteen years! Thank you to all associated with Speer Bank.
I thank the Elementary Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO) for their continued financial support and for the volunteer assistance each and every year. Most recently, the PTO donated over $50,000 towards the Princeville Grade School Playground Project and led the design and installation portions of the project as well. Thank you to all current and past members of the Elementary PTO.
I thank the Princeville Sports Boosters and Princeville Music Boosters for their continued financial support. Although I don’t have specific dollar amounts available, these organizations have been essential for the support of our high school athletic programs and the grade school and high school music programs. Their hard work, fundraising efforts and volunteer involvement have been constant for many years. Without their leadership and assistance behind the scenes, these programs would not have reached their levels of success. Thank you to all the current and past members of the “boosters” organizations!
I thank the Princeville Little League and Princeville Junior Football League for their incredible efforts towards developing the future athletes of Princeville. Both organizations have contributed funds to and worked collaboratively with the District for the overall benefit of the students. Thank you to all the current and past members of the Princeville Little League and Princeville Junior Football league organizations.
I thank the Princeville Resource Improvement and Development Endowment (PRIDE) committee for their ongoing involvement and support. The PRIDE committee has once again demonstrated continued financial support by donating $9,700 toward supplementing the grade school and high school classrooms this year. They have supported the school with the PRIDE grants every year and have also initiated the PRIDE “Wish List” as well. I encourage you to learn more about PRIDE by visiting their web page at the District web site. Thank you to all the current and past members of PRIDE.
I thank the members of the Edelstein, Laura, Princeville Advisory Council (ELPAC) committee. Currently, the ELPAC committee is helping to design and distribute a parent survey in order to obtain important information for the Princeville Board of Education. Their time and commitment to the school is priceless. They have helped guide many decisions over the years and have been a tremendous sounding board for ideas for the parents of the community. I encourage you to learn more about ELPAC by visiting their web page at the District web site. Thank you to all the current and past members of ELPAC.
I thank the
I thank the Lille M. Evans Library Board for their constant support of the District. Not only do they offer a variety of educational opportunities for this community, they fully support the academic programs of the District. Our K-12 students use the library on a constant basis and appreciate their immediate availability. Thank you to all the current and past members of the Library Board.
I thank the Concerned Citizens of Princeville (CCOP) committee for their
resilience in assisting the School District and
I thank the Princeville Heritage Museum Board for their efforts towards revitalizing the Princeville Community. Recently, they created new initiatives and efforts to work in conjunction with the District and Village and will prosper over the next few years. Thank you to the current and past members of the museum board.
I thank the PCUSD#326 Board of Education for their commitment to the school system. The many hours and difficult decisions are the foundation of the success of your students. Without their willingness to attend many meetings and sustain long evenings, this school system may not be here today. Thank you to all the current and past members of the Board of Education.
I thank the Akron-Princeville Ambulance (APA) and the Akron-Princeville Fire Department (APFD) for their services. Their constant availability to Princeville and the surrounding area is absolutely precious. Their involvement with the District has been commendable. Thank you to all the current and past members of the APA and the APFD.
I thank the Princeville businesses for keeping the village prosperous
with their services, products, and financial support. In the near future, I will host the
I thank the local religious leaders for their guiding light and for their true dedication to the people. They all continue to go above and beyond and commit their services and support for anyone in need. They have been especially helpful to the schools in recent years and have provided incredible assistance in times of need. Thank you to all the current and past religious leaders in the community.
I thank all Volunteers, all Parents, and all Community Members for
choosing to live in the Princeville Community.
The schools and businesses could not survive without you making this
continued decision and could not survive without your volunteer efforts and
commitment to the community. Thank you
for sustaining the culture within the
Finally, I thank the past and current teachers and educational support
staff of the
In closing, and after an overwhelming amount of thanks, I ask you for three specific favors: (1) please support your bus drivers, teachers, and building principals in their quest towards re-teaching and reminding the K-12 students of the importance of bus safety. It is imperative that the students remain seated and relatively quiet so that the bus drivers may focus their attention on safe driving. We need parental support in order to accomplish this difficult task; (2) please communicate with your children’s teachers with ANY concerns you may have. Keep us informed of their academic progress and any social concerns you may have so we can help. Parental support is the key factor to students achieving success and developing into responsible adults; and (3) please continue your incredible support for the Princeville Schools. We can only be as good as our community members and are striving for excellence in everything that we do. It is truly inspiring how the members of this community continue to come together in times of need. Together we can accomplish anything!
OCTOBER 2008 – “District
Update” - by Jim Colyott, District
Superintendent
There are currently 760 pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students filling the hallways and classrooms within the Princeville Schools! Serving those students are forty-nine certified teachers, fifty educational support staff, two guidance counselors, two building principals, one special services coordinator and one superintendent. In order to ensure that our students have the best educational experience possible and reach their highest levels of success, it is imperative that the faculty, staff, and administration maintain regular communication with one another and most importantly the parents/guardians. I would like to take this opportunity to explain the numerous types of communication efforts that will be made by your school district personnel.
Office secretaries will contact you any time your children are not attending school, not feeling well, or have a medical issue or condition that requires your attention. Please understand that we are not the parents of the children, only temporarily acting in your place while they attend school for the day. Office secretaries can not make medical decisions for you or your children and are required by law and local policies to contact you regarding school attendance and when there is any concern of their condition. Please call the office secretaries as needed and be sure to notify them if your children will not be attending school or if they are in need of special attention.
Classroom teachers have an email address, a voice mailbox number, and a phone in their classrooms in order to enhance communication with the parents/guardians, fellow teachers and administration. Many teachers also send home newsletters on a regular basis so you remain current with the happenings in the classrooms and grade levels. You may also find informational items in the students’ book bags on occasion regarding class field trips, upcoming activities, fundraiser events, and upcoming projects and assignments. Please email and/or call your teachers with any questions you may have regarding the activities in the school and the academic progress of your children.
Guidance counselors typically send home information regarding services that they provide and with ideas and suggestions to help parents/guardians become more successful when dealing with their children. They are also available to assist if the students have social and emotional needs throughout the school day. Counselors make every effort to be visible in the hallways and cafeterias to talk with the students about their educational experiences and their lives in general. Please email and/or call the counselors if you feel they can help your children in any way.
Principals send home regular communication to the parents via the mail and occasionally in the book bags with the younger students. They maintain weekly Activities Hotlines (PGS 385-4994 ext.3 and PHS 385-4660 ext.3) in order to provide the most current activities for the each week. Principals also maintain building web sites with a variety of useful information. They can be found attending most activities and events and are available by email and phone as well. Please email and/or call the principals with any question regarding the educational experiences of your children.
As your District Superintendent, I am responsible for the monthly Board of Education and administrative meetings as well as many annual meetings for the parents and community members. I am responsible for communicating the district’s strategic plan, annual budget, important public notices and employment vacancies. I make it a priority to visit the grade school and high school classrooms, hallways, activities, and athletics weekly in order to talk with the students, teachers, parents, and community members and to observe all the excellent happenings in the district. I maintain the District web site which contains a Superintendent’s monthly podcast informing you of a variety of information and/or emergency information if needed. I am always seeking new information to publish for your benefit. I encourage you to attend the monthly Board of Education meetings, the annual community meetings, and to visit our web site located at http://www.princeville326.org to find more information regarding your school district.
In addition to all the communication efforts described above, the most important piece of successful communication when educating youth is the direct daily communication that parents/guardians have with their children. Regardless of all the efforts made at the schools, a high level of success will not be reached without the support of the parents/guardians. Please make the extra effort to talk with your children daily about how they feel about their school experience and contact their teachers and administration with any concerns you might have. We need your help to reach every student and to help aim them towards a successful future.
Thank you for your continued support of the