Message From the Superintendent

Dr. Robert Thomason

What’s Right In Petersburg City School District?

As Petersburg City School District enters the second half of the school year and the beginning of a new calendar year it is a good time to reflect a bit on our year thus far.

At the beginning of the school year, the Board and I established a set of positive, achievable goals for the first half of the year. It’s time to report to you about progress on these goals.

Goal 1:Develop a positive school environment by focusing on and celebrating student and staff success.

Status:Staff and students have indicated in both surveys and in conversations that being a part of Petersburg City Schools is “fun” again. Staff is valued for their positive interactions with and impact on students. Students know they are supported and that high expectation standards for behavior and academic performance are in place and enforced.

Goal 2:To work in a collaborative manner with various groups within the community and to build consensus with a focus on helping all students develop to their fullest potential academically, emotionally, and physically.

Status:A strong spirit of cooperation and collaboration has been developed with many community groups: Petersburg Indian Association, Petersburg Mental Health Services, Petersburg Police Department, Petersburg Fisheries, Inc., Wrangell City School District, the Associated Teachers of Petersburg, the Petersburg District Support Personnel Association, and many others. An open and participatory 2010/2011 school year budget development process has been initiated. (See related article on the Home Page). Students have successfully participated in academic, athletic and activities events over the course of the first semester of the year.

Goal 3:To provide district-wide leadership in conducting daily operations utilizing a team approach. This includes effective delegation of duties to make best use of the talents and expertise of all staff.

Status:Staff and students within the district are communicating openly and freely about substantive and important life development issues. The voice of the individual is heard and the desires of the group are sought. People are cheerfully helping each other as we all help students.

Goal 4: To work with the Board on establishing and clarifying the vision for the District and fulfilling our respective (Board/Superintendent) roles and responsibilities.

Status:The Board of Education has met multiple times, in regular Board meetings and in special “Board Development” work sessions to ensure consistent expectations for the future among members of the Board. The Board and Superintendent have developed a strong, positive, open and highly communicative working style.

Goal 5:To conduct an analysis of the District’s financial condition and identify strategies to ensure the future stability of the District while protecting classroom funding to the maximum extent possible. This includes developing future year’s budgets to reflect community values and priorities within the framework of available funds and documented declining enrollment issues.

Status:District spending is a bit ahead of “plan”, primarily due to unexpected travel expenses related to athletics/activities. Classroom instruction continues to be well supported and the use of technology as an instructional tool is evident. From January through April, 2010 the District and the Community will work together to develop a responsible and forward thinking budget for the 2010-2011 school year. A primary component of the budget development process is the work of the Budget Advisory Committee.

As a community, we continue to be justifiably proud of our schools. Most importantly, we have terrific students, an excellent staff, and a community that cares about the value of an education. We have an effective and comprehensive educational program that is large enough to provide options and small enough to provide a true “hometown” personal feel.

Please consider this a personal invitation to contact me any time. We’re here to educate children. But, we’re also here to help citizens of the district whenever we can. You can call me at the district office at 907-772-4271 or e-mail me at rthomason@psgsd.k12.ak.us.

Dr. Robert Thomason

Superintendent

Petersburg City Schools

Petersburg City School District        •        PO Box 289        •         Petersburg, AK 99833       •        907-772-4271        •        www.psgsd.k12.ak.us