By MARK GRUEN
Royall School District superintendent
As you read this column, we already have in close to a month of school. It truly is amazing how time flies. Sometimes I think we forget to slow down and enjoy it. I know I do.
On that note, I would invite you to get involved at school during homecoming week, which will be from Sept. 29 to Oct. 4. The parade will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, followed by a pep assembly at the school.
On Friday, Oct. 3, the school board will host a tailgate party starting at 5 p.m. ($5 gets you a game ticket, a hot dog meal, a Royall pennant, a chance at door prizes, and good camaraderie). The tailgate party will be in the front entrance of the high school this year, as it will run in conjunction with the Dodge vehicle test drive, a booster club fundraiser. Dodge is donating $20 to the booster club for each adult test drive that is taken from 3:30 to 7 p.m. The homecoming game vs. Brookwood will start at 7 p.m.
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The Royall Alumni Association also will kick off its membership drive Friday, Oct. 3. This organization has been in the making for more than three years. The Royall Alumni Association has established bylaws, a constitution, and a board of directors. It also has secured tax-exempt status for your membership fees and donations. President Jane (Sartori) Feller will be on hand with brochures and membership information. If you are unable to make the tailgate party, you can find out more information on the school district website. We are very excited that the Royall Alumni Association will work to raise money for scholarships and to foster lifelong connections to the school district and community.
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We have more big news in the district, as our entire district now has qualified for the HealthierUS School Challenge. Last year our middle school was the first school in the state to qualify, and we believe at this time we are the first district to win the award at all buildings. Look for a special press release with more details coming soon.
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We finished our shop renovation over the summer. If you have not been to our shop to see the new equipment, it is worth your time. We have more than $100,000 of new equipment up and running. We would like to publicly thank Walkers, Sprinkmans, Wisco, and Gray Electric for the time each company donated in helping us plan for, select, order and install the new equipment. Special thanks to Walkers, as its staff took time out of their day to paint the entire shop, giving us an entirely new look. Thanks!
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As we continue to be bombarded by politic ads, one topic that I am asked about often is the private school vouchers that are in place. If you have questions on this topic, feel free to give me a call at 462-2600. One thing that I continue to tell people that ask me is a quote from our own Gov. Tommy Thompson. Tommy was quoted as saying, “We struggle enough supporting one educational system with our tax money; we certainly cannot afford two systems.” On that note, vouchers take money directly away from our equalized aid, which means less money for public education. This is not rocket science, as there is only so much money to go around.
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On the topic of finances, this is a very exciting time in the Royall School District. The decisions the board makes in the next couple of months will establish our financial security for the district for many, many years to come.
We are moving at a slow pace as we wait for our final property values, our final aid, and our student count. Our school board members also are prioritizing projects to address through an energy revenue exemption, and they are weighing out our options with regard to going to referendum or not.
As I have stated in the past, now is a good time to get involved with the district to learn about all of these moving parts and to help us with decisions for the future. Please share your thoughts with board members or administrators as we make plans for the future of our great school district.
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I have reserved from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, for my next lunch with the superintendent. It is very simple: Join me for lunch to discuss whichever topic you choose, such as budgeting, scheduling, staffing, or even politics. I would appreciate it if you called 462-2600 to let me know you were coming so we could plan for the appropriate space. I am also willing to come to you with information. Please give me a call and let me know where you would like to meet, when you would like me to attend, and what to prepare for, and I will be there.
