New School Year Brings New Changes
by David Ackeman
Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year. The start of every new school year begins the process of a fresh start with new challenges and new opportunities. There are several new programs and many new changes happening for the upcoming school year.
We are excited to have new rooftop heating and air conditioning units installed in the 1968 elementary building. While this may not sound all that exciting, it will vastly improve the comfort level and air quality within the building and create a more uniform temperature while saving on utility bills. The controls are web based and therefore much more responsive to drastic changes in the weather.
Next, the district will be instituting substantial amounts of technology upgrades K-12 through the help of nearly $100,000 of Microsoft settlement funds. We have wrapped up the Smartboard project – now nearly every feasible classroom has a Smartboard which greatly improves student participation and teacher/technology interaction. Last year a new server was installed to handle our increased technology needs, and this year the entire Central Lyon campus is completely wireless. The district has also purchased three more laptop carts which will assist with integrating technology into the curriculum. We are also very excited for several new curriculum programs for learning enhancement in all areas. We are pleased that this year the senior government class will venture into a new area as it will not have a textbook but will be taught through an online interactive format. Several credit recovery/credit enhancement courses are also being offered online along with our recent addition of advanced placement classes.
Another exciting change involves four year old preschool. Central Lyon has offered this program for the last several years, but we have now qualified for the state of Iowa preschool grant so the program is now free to all four year old students. Watch the newspaper for further information about this valuable program.
There have been several shifts within the staff, as well as new staff hired for the upcoming school year. We are compelled to focus on personal strengths and place staff in positions where they can excel to achieve the best results for our students. Ultimately this must be the district goal in all that we do. I am pleased and confident as superintendent to let our patrons know that we will do our best to use our resources wisely for ALL of our students and their needs.
Thank you for your trust in us.
