Reelected School Board Officials Take Oath of Office

Recently reelected officers of the Board of Education took their Oath of Office Wednesday before the board alternated official roles, heard a report of Roosevelt Elementary School, and approved a parcel tax survey.

Board trustees Alisa Macavoy, Shelly Masur and Dennis McBride, reelected in November, opted to be sworn in by children as a symbolic gesture of their commitment to Redwood City students.

“It really is a privilege to be able to serve this district and community,” Masur said. “We do the absolute best we can in very trying times.”

Masur has been serving on the board for six years prior to her reelection along with McBride who has served for the past eight years.

McBride said that even though there have been cuts for seven of the past eight years the district still manages to provide students with quality education.

“I’ve never heard you guys complain,” McBride said of district staff. “We have the most amazing teachers, we have the most amazing staff.”

MacAvoy, who first took seat in 2007, said though she hopes to see the budget on a positive scale, the commitment of district employees has not faltered.

“We have been cut a lot in the past few years,” she said. “But yet everyone comes back everyday to give the very best to our students.”

MacAvoy was also recognized for her success as president of the board for the past year.

Although there is a yearly rotation of duties, Masur said holding the position of president is more work and can be much more time consuming.

The board thanked MacAvoy for her optimism in light of the heavy workload amongst dismal budget cuts.

“One of the things I like about you is how positive you are,” said board trustee Maria Diaz-Slocum.

The board alternated roles assigning Hilary Paulson as president, Masur as vice president, Diaz-Slocum as clerk, McBride as Trustee Representative to the San Mateo County Committee on School District Organization and MacAvoy as Legislative Network Member.

Roosevelt Elementary's Update

With their new positions, the board heard a presentation made by Principal Patricia Girardi concerning the current status of .

The school recently revised their mission statements to the succinct and powerful, “Dream it, believe it, achieve it!”

The elementary school attained major success in the 2010-2011 school year as students met 19 out of 21 Adequately Yearly Progress standards with a 10 percent increase in math scores.

The school’s goal for the 2011-2012 year is to increase test scores by 10 percent.

“We need to focus on student engagement, build relationships and maintain rigorous lessons,” Girardi said.

The school hopes the further attain academic achievement through the use of technology. Roosevelt currently utilizes Accelerated Reader, a literacy skills program, and Jiji Math.

Three Smart Boards, interactive whiteboards developed by Smart Technologies, were also delivered to the campus that day.

Girardi also presented the several creative outlets available for Roosevelt students.

“We’re not just all about core curriculum,” she said.

Students may participate in the Newspaper Club, three different art programs, music programs and theatre programs offered in part by Broadway by the Bay and Theatreworks.

“But most of all at Roosevelt school we play, learn and grow together,” Girardi said.