From the Desk of Dianne Talarico
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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From the Desk of Dianne Talarico
April 28, 2008
Dear Community Members,
Another school year will close very soon.
TESTING BEGINS
May seems to have now morphed into "achievement testing month." Outstanding teachers and dedicated support staff work diligently all year to prepare our students for high-stake tests. It is parent partnerships with teachers and schools that have built a support network for our student’s success.
Measure R -THANK YOU!
Across the broader Santa Monica Malibu community, the remarkable backing of public school education culminated in the overwhelming passage of Measure R. Its success tells me that our District and its schools enjoy strong community support. Investing in our kids pay enormous dividends in both cities.
STATE BUDGET CUTS
School Districts across California have made deep painful cuts this year. Some have been forced to fire many teachers, close schools and cut deeply to the bone. Here, with smart School Board leadership, we have been both fiscally responsible and prudent. Using a healthy financial reserve built during previous years, SMMUSD has only had to make minimal reductions for next school year. We do feel pain but have been able to minimize its effects. The same reserve will help us deal with the ongoing state budget crisis in 2008-2009.
SPECIAL EDUCATION EVALUATION
Most pressing of all our issues involves the District’s response to the Special Education Review, and, delayed release of $530,000 of additional funding in our Joint Use Agreement with the City of Santa Monica. The City initially putting conditions on release of our funds in their June 12, 2007 meeting.
As a result the School Board directed staff to hire a consultant to assess the policies, practices and programs of our Special Education Department.
Through an open, transparent, inclusive process, a committee comprised of all stakeholder groups selected Lou Barber & Associates to conduct a review of the SPED department in the fall of 2007.
The report of findings was presented to the BOE on April 3, 2008; the district presented a preliminary draft response at the April 17, 2008 board meeting and April 22, 2008, I reported to the Santa Monica City Council.
OUR RESPONSE INCLUDES:
1. Creating a Culture of Inclusion,
2. Enhancing Professional Development and Staff Recruitment,
3. Developing the District’s Special Education Program,
4. Better Financial Management, and
5. Reinvigorating the Special Education Local Plan Area, SELPA.
We will all need to work together to reorganize our school system to improve responsiveness to all stakeholders. Within the next 30 days, the school district will implement key elements outlined in the district’s preliminary response to the Special Education Review.
A TIME OF HEALING
Remove the educational jargon and you see that a key priority for our District is to enter a phase of healing both within our schools and in the broader community.
Essentially, we know we need to treat all stakeholders with dignity, civility and respect. Our current practices must and will be modified when resolving disputes with parents of children with special needs. That’s our bottom line.
We know we’re accountable for improving our school district and it relationships with its parents. We know what the job is we have to do. Today, the action steps we know we need are in the various stages of being implemented. I am determined we will succeed on all counts and the School District will be seen to have responded and improved as a result.
Thank You,
Dianne Talarico
Superintendent
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