lesson of his first 100 days
Superintendent Raymond presents findings and
recommendations; sets new course for district
Sac City schools chief: ‘Take risks for kids’ lesson of his first 100 days
After spending his first 100 days on the job “listening and learning,” Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan P. Raymond will present his findings and recommendations to the Board of Education at about 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17 at the Serna Center, 5735 24th Ave.
Raymond will outline four main focus areas for his superintendency and define his vision of fundamental change for Sac City Unified. “The potential to excel exists here,” Raymond says. “There is a lot of good occurring in the district, but good is not good enough. More need to be done to be a truly great district for our children. The best advice I received during my listening tour was not to be afraid to take risks for kids—to be bold. I’m going to follow that advice.”
After spending time at 83 of the district’s 91 schools (some more than once) and meeting with hundreds of students, teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and district staff, the Superintendent will focus on four key areas:
• ensure a strong principal in every school
• ensure a highly skilled teacher in each classroom who is able to tailor instruction to the needs of students
• engage parents and community participation in the district’s schools
• share information with the community to measure instruction for continuous improvement
Raymond has already announced a new literacy effort to increase reading and writing skills as the basic building blocks for improved educational opportunity and academic excellence. “We must educate our students to succeed in a challenging world economy. The only way to do this is by graduating students prepared to excel in college and careers to meet the demands of the new millennium.”
For reporters: Open session for the Board of Education meeting will begin at 6:30. The “Superintendent’s Report” is scheduled at 8:13 p.m. as Item 8.5 on the agenda, but the time may vary. Please call Maria L. Lopez at (916)752-3705 if an interview is desired.
