Buhl School District Students, Staff, Parents and Community,
May is here and that means another school year will be behind us very soon. As this year comes to a close, let's take a moment to reflect on some of the successes we have had as a district.
First, by working collaboratively with students, district staff, parents/guardians and our community, we have revisited our COVID plan twice to adjust processes and procedures. We did have to close the high school for a day and utilize remote learning for two days but we were able to manage that adjustment without a huge disruption to our district. The pandemic has disrupted many things in our lives the past three years. Thank you all for being patient, considerate and working together to keep our schools open!
Second, our district has been involved in a strategic planning process that started last fall. Input from all stakeholders within our community and district has been gathered through focus groups, surveys and an open house. The input received has been compiled, organized and refined and will assist our school board and district staff to chart our course over the next five years. This comprehensive plan will help us accomplish our mission “Learn With A Purpose!"
Third, once again our community supported our district by successfully passing a supplemental levy in November. This two year levy is critical in maintaining the services and opportunities for our students we have become accustomed to. Some examples include Career and Technical Education opportunities, full day kindergarten, extracurricular activities and covering costs in operations aren't covered by state and federal funds.
Fourth, as with all businesses and industries today, as a district we are having a difficult time finding enough staff (food service, custodial, maintenance, bus drivers, office staff, coaches, substitutes, aides and teachers). Unlike our business partners, a school district can't scale down operations or raise salaries dramatically. Our students show up every day and our staff has to be ready and prepared for that. I am so grateful for all of our district staff and how they cover for each other and make the best out of difficult situations. We are all doing the best we can and once again, by working together, we will get through the challenges before us!
Fifth, as always, our students and their success is at the heart of everything we do as a community and school district. We want them to be successful in the classroom as well as on the courts, fields, stages and competitions. Students involved in extracurricular and co-curricular activities have better grades and self-esteem, develop better leadership skills as well as have higher graduation rates than students who don't participate in anything outside of the classroom. These activities also contribute to the culture and identity of our community. A great example of this recently happened here in Buhl with our high school robotics team, the “Buhlean Operators.” An unplanned opportunity to attend the World Championship Event in Houston Texas was presented to them. They only had two weeks from when they found out about the opportunity to when they had to leave to generate the funds to get them there. That is where our community stepped in! It only took six days for those funds to be gathered. Individuals and businesses alike stepped up to fill the need so students could experience a once in a lifetime opportunity! What does that tell you about the community we live in? For me, it reaffirms what I have always known, adults step up to the occasion when students need some assistance. Thank you Buhl for making this happen!
Thank you for supporting our district and being an active participant within our community. We couldn't do it without you!
Respectfully,
David Carson
Superintendent
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