CARDINAL CORNER: ALEX GEORDAN

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ALEX GEORDAN

We hope this article finds you still relishing your time over the past few weeks – reconnections with family or creating new memories with friends. No matter how you spent your time over the past couple of weeks, it is now time to recapture our optimism about our work with children.

As we head into a new year, I am certain our collective energies will allow us to continue the good work in which we have been engaged — preparing our students for a world whose parameters are constantly changing.

On Jan. 9, at the organizational school board meeting, E. Craig Olson was elected Board President and Lee E. Frey was elected Vice President. The entire staff in Canfield would like to wish the entire board well as we look forward to working with them throughout 2013. Regular board meetings will continue to be conducted the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the board room.

Our entire school community would like to thank Adrianne Sturm for the leadership she has offered our Board of Education this past year as President. Her knowledge and experience have been great assets in a year of transition here in Canfield.

January is “School Board Appreciation Month,” so I would like to take a moment to thank our entire board for its dedication and its thoughtful decision making for each student and staff member of this excellent school system. Our community is very lucky to have these individuals who care so deeply for their school system.

School Board Recognition Month honors the members of Ohio’s 719 city, exempted village, local and joint vocational boards of education and educational service centers’ governing boards for their commitment to providing quality public education to Ohio’s children.

The Canfield Local School District is joining with other districts throughout the state to recognize the important contributions school board members make to their communities. Ohioans benefit every day from the energies and countless hours devoted by a group of more than 3,400 men and women across the state. These public servants are elected to serve by local citizens and receive little compensation for their efforts. These men and women are the local school board members of Ohio.

The start of the second semester is quickly approaching and the staff is in overdrive preparing our student body for the spring assessment period. Keep high importance on attendance as it is the single most important factor when looking at student achievement.

While 2013 will bring its own share of challenges and uncertainties, I know our educators and classified personnel have both the character and the capacity to rise to the task at hand. Working together, we can help our district to develop practices needed to reform our pre K-12 educational system and ensure all students are well prepared to meet the demands of an increasingly global economy.

It’s a great time to be a Cardinal.

(Alex G. Geordan is the Canfield Local Schools Superintendent. Neighbors will publish his monthly column one Saturday a month during the school year. To comment, send feedback to neighbors@vindy.com and it will be forwarded to Mr. Geordan.)