Summer 2023 Board Chair Report

This is a great time of year, mostly sunny days with beautiful green everywhere due to the great moisture we have received. I hope that this is a time of relaxation and rejuvenation for a majority of our students and staff. Thanks to those who have had to delay their relaxation to participate in summer school.

We have recently completed the 2022-23 school year with many successes to celebrate. We have had 829 students graduate so far this year and we will see that number increase during the summer. This will provide them a great base for the next part of their journey.

Those graduates have earned at least 798 scholarships worth close to $5 million. They also earned 7,539 college credits through concurrent and dual enrollment classes at no cost to families. Those combined will make it easier for families to afford the next steps for their graduates.

These graduates did not accomplish this on their own. Thanks to all of the LCSD1 staff, parents and other special people in the lives of these graduates who helped them along the way.

As we look forward to 2023-24 we will begin a Spanish Dual Language Immersion program at two of our elementary schools this fall and we will also increase the number of available spaces for our popular new Pre-K program that the District offers to parents at cost. Arp will move to the Eastridge building as we work on getting the funding to replace that building in its original location

South High will have their own Army JROTC program which will eliminate the travel to participate in the East Air Force JROTC program. Thanks to East for hosting the South students for many years.

We are still finalizing the details but we will bring back many of the elementary after-school athletic activities in partnership with the city and many volunteers.

All of our junior high and high school buildings will have their smart boards replaced with smart monitors. There will also be many other improvements to our facilities during the summer.

The Board is excited to welcome student representatives from each high school to our meetings to give reports from their buildings.

The Board meets in person and virtually most 1st (5 p.m.)  & 3rd (6 p.m.) Mondays of each month, and I invite everyone to join us. We need to do the business of the district with our community watching.

We welcome your comments by providing time to speak, in person or online, on Agenda items early in the meeting and at the end of the meeting time to speak on other issues. If you wish to speak at a meeting it is preferred you sign up in advance by calling Darlene Davis at the Admin Bldg.

Make the most of your summer break and I look forward to a successful 2023-24 school year.