Supporting Our Schools A message from your superintendent
Producing intended outcomes Five months into my tenure as interim superintendent and I am now past fi rst impressions and knee-deep into the important work of supporting student education. That means keeping one foot in the day-to-day, current year work, while simultaneously planning strategically for the future. Rather than boring you with the daily tasks I tackle, I would like to characterize my work in terms of the intended outcomes being produced. Four terms come to mind when I refl ect on the work happening at the district and school levels: efficiency, effectiveness, clarity and collaboration. It is all too often the case that a government agency, such as a school district, has practices that confuse and frustrate staff and community alike. Eff orts are underway to streamline and establish user-friendly processes and increase clarity for all. Our goal is to save both time and money, and have systems that work well in our small district. We are also working to maximize the revenue available to support student learning. For example, we are tapping into non-general fund resources at the state and federal levels to address facility needs. Our fi rst project is to audit the lighting in our high school classrooms and use state money for upgrades and improvements. This may sound like a small matter, but having appropriate lighting is an important part of providing quality learning environments for students. With support coming from multiple community partners, such as our Parent Teacher Clubs and Riverdale School Foundation, the ability to collaborate is critical. In my continuing interactions with organization leaders and our administrative team, I am working to maintain clear lines of communication that will unify our work, align our eff orts and foster understanding of the important work done by others. Clarity of purpose and direction is our primary goal in creating a renewed strategic plan (see page 3). Riverdale will be well-served to have a high-quality plan for the future that clearly outlines our community’s visions for our schools now and in the future. The interactions of the 35 hard-working members of our strategic planning team and the feedback provided by eight varied groups during input sessions have provided valuable information to move us forward. I am inspired and energized by this important work and grateful for the opportunity to serve as your superintendent. Sincerely, Jim Schlachter
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Annual campaign — so close to our goal RIVERDALE SCHOOL FOUNDATION – The Riverdale School Foundation and Riverdale School District are incredibly thankful for the generosity of all donors to the 20182019 annual campaign. So far, 76 percent of student families have joined with many alumni, staff and community members to raise $1.35 million for Riverdale students. This signifi cant number brings us so close to our $1.5 million goal, which we will continue working toward in the upcoming months. The Riverdale community has a long history of supporting its schools, and we are very fortunate that so many families make exceptional education a priority in their household budgets and in their giving. A list of all families who contributed to the annual campaign will be published in January, with an updated list distributed in June to account for additional donations received throughout the rest of the year. For over 25 years, donors to the annual campaign have been, and continue to be, the bedrock for Riverdale schools by supplementing state school funding in an eff ort to matintain our tradition of educational excellence. It’s not too late to give! You can help us reach our goal. The Riverdale School Foundation is still accepting pledges and donations at RiverdaleFoundation.org. Pledges do not need to be redeemed until April 30, 2019. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated; what is important is that every family participates in some way. Please check if your employer off ers corporate matching. Last year, this led to an additional $90,000 in matched donations. "All in all, I was so grateful for the support of my incredible call-captain team and the foundation board," says the campaign chair, Amber Hillman. "Everyone stepped up in a way that was remarkable, with so much eagerness to educate, and so much enthusiasm for Riverdale schools." She also expressed gratitude to the Riverdale High School student volunteers who called community members and alumni this year in support of the campaign. Thank you again to all those families who donated. It is encouraging to have so many friends of Riverdale stepping up to sustain our small district in the face of demanding state budgets that don’t provide enough for education. Please thank donors on this list as you see them. Giving to the annual campaign is the community-wide investment we can make for our children. Riverdale Review
