D113A Superintendent: Focus on Communications, Security

—Submitted by Dr. Courtney Orzel

Exciting things are happening in District 113A.

Communications has been a central focus for us this year as we have been diligent in improving our communications to our families. Many of our staff now have Twitter accounts and are sending out many learning activities from their classes. If you haven’t tried Twitter, you can follow me at @drorzel. We have also launched our District Facebook page. While this recently began, we already have 171 likes. If you haven’t liked our page, please do so. School events and activities are posted on a regular basis. Moving forward with communications, we are exploring the option of updating our district website to streamline information and provide a site which is more user-friendly for our parents, students, staff, and community.

It appears that Senate Bill 16 has been placed on the back burner by the legislators—for now. There is no doubt that legislators are concerned about school funding reform and SB16 has begun important conversations surrounding school funding. Please know that we will continue to closely monitor the information coming out of Springfield and will provide information as it becomes available.

Looking forward, the District is researching potential “pay to ride” options for students who live within 1.5 miles of their school and are not currently eligible for bus service. The Transportation Committee will be administering a survey to parents not eligible for bussing in early January to gain their feedback regarding this possibility. Additionally, the District is evaluating its residency procedures and is considering the option of having all students verify residency for the upcoming 2015-16 school year.

Safety and security of our students and staff is always our priority. As part of our long-range safety and security planning, the Board of Education approved the installation of security cameras in the interior hallways and other large group areas of Old Quarry Middle School. We believe that the cameras will enhance our current safety and security procedures, and we will be providing parents with additional correspondence regarding the timeline for implementation.

Thank you for your continued support, encouragement and suggestions as I have transitioned into the superintendency. I am looking forward to the many incredible opportunities that lie ahead for us in 2015.

—Dr. Courtney Orzel

Superintendent,

District 113A