Congratulations to a great senior class! Four years ago I entered the district at the same time the graduating class entered its freshman year. I was rewarded with the ability to watch the Class of 2015 grow and mature into young adults. During graduation, Rod Stewart’s words came to mind in his song, Forever Young. “May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam…And when you finally fly away I’ll be hoping that I served you well…But whatever road you choose, I’m right behind you, win or lose.” The Mineral Point School District and faculty wishes our seniors the very best and invites our newest alumni to come back and visit often.
Over the last month, superintendents around the state have been engaged in the biennial budget discussions taking place. The governor proposed a budget that, for the first time ever, did not include an increase to the revenue limit for schools. The Joint Finance Committee did not choose to increase the revenue limit either. Not acting to fix the funding formula for our schools places a tremendous burden on schools to do more with less.
It perplexes me how a state budget can craft and pass language that has nothing to do with the state budget. Passing language late in the night and early hours of the morning regarding the reduction of qualifications for teacher licensing, or demanding a civics test for graduation, without discussion from key stakeholders, such as school leaders or parents, is never a good idea. Regarding the civics test, adding another high-stakes test does not alleviate parents’ and educators’ concerns that the state already assesses too much.
Time to test your civics knowledge from easier to more challenging:
1. Who was the first president?
2. What ocean is on the west coast?
3. What territory did the US buy from France in 1803?
4. Name one of the writers of the Federalist Papers?
5. What did Susan B. Anthony do?
Answers can be found at the end of this article.
As students depart from the buildings, summer maintenance begins. This summer’s projects include fixing roof leaks at the high school, replacing four rooms worth of floor tiles with asbestos underneath at the elementary, and repairing a sidewalk adjacent to the agriculture building.
I conclude this month’s column with a thank you to Mineral Point District staff, First Student bus drivers, Taher Food Service staff, substitutes, and crossing guards for an amazing school year. Together we accomplished so much and the students of the Mineral Point School District benefited from your time and talents. My sincere appreciation for the work you do.
Answers:
1. George Washington
2. Pacific
3. Louisiana Territory
4. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, or John Jay
5. Fought for women’s rights and civil rights