WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL

A message from the Superintendent of Schools

Dear Students, Parents, and Community Members:

As the warm, sunny days of summer fade into the cool and colorful days of autumn; our thoughts inevitably turn to the opening of another school year.  I hope your summer has been an enjoyable and restful time spent with family and friends.

Our district’s success is a testimony to the commitment to excellence from our teachers, administrators, and support staff in meeting the needs of the whole child.  Due to a decline in revenues at the national, state, and local levels, as well as the elimination of federal stimulus funds, we have been challenged by the task of creating a budget that is below level funded, yet one that continues to provide a quality education for ALL children and maintains appropriate staff, programs, and services.  As you know, our motto is to “Put Children First,” and this goal will remain the foundation for our district. 

Even though fiscal constraints may impede the development of new initiatives, I believe we can continue to move this district forward by focusing on what we do well and making those programs and initiatives even better.  I’m reminded of the children’s rhyme, “Good, better, best; never let it rest; until the good is better and the better is best.”  That sentiment will be our goal for the 2011-2012 school year – to make our good not only better, but the best it can be by expanding upon what we are doing well and, in doing so, utilizing our greatest resource, which is our dedicated, experienced, and hard-working staff. 

A main focus for this year will be stability as we welcome two (2) new elementary principals, one (1) new Director of Curriculum & Instruction, one (1) new Director of Special Services, one (1) new Supervisor of Special Services, and one (1) new Financial Analyst to our district.  I’m confident that we have the right people in the right positions due to the collective efforts of our search committees.  Ideally these new people will enhance our district’s reputation for excellence and for providing a quality education for all children.

Other areas of focus will be the implementation of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education’s Common Core Standards, as well as their new Evaluation Tool for Administrators and Teachers.  In addition, we will continue to focus on our district’s successes such as the PreK-6 Data Success Teams, Classroom Walkthroughs, & Data Summits.

With the start of what promises to be an exciting school year, I extend a special thank you to Agawam residents and parents, Mayor Richard A. Cohen, the Agawam School Committee, and the Agawam City Council for their unwavering support and commitment to the education of our children.

Yours in education,

William P. Sapelli, C.A.G.S.

Superintendent of Schools