It is my genuine pleasure to welcome you to the 2017-2018 school year. I am excited to have the opportunity to continue working with the students, staff, and community of the Houston R-1 School District this year. This is a wonderful community and I look forward to creating a great learning environment for the students of the Houston area.
The mission of the Houston School District is: Striving for excellence….learning for all. Every student is different with various abilities and needs. Our mission is to provide students with the tools necessary to achieve excellence in their own unique way. This mission will be met by the following objectives set out in the Houston School District Comprehensive School Improvement Plan:
• Develop and enhance quality educational/instructional programs to improve performance and enable students to meet their personal, academic, and career goals.
• Recruit, attract, develop, and retain highly qualified staff to carry out the district’s mission, goals, and objectives.
• Provide and maintain appropriate instructional resources, support services, and functional and safe facilities.
• Promote, facilitate and enhance parent, student and community involvement in district educational programs.
There are some changes in store for this year. As many of you are aware, we began a new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program through Project Lead The Way (PLTW) in our elementary this spring. For 2017-2018, we will expand this program schoolwide in our elementary. In addition, with the help of grants from the state of Missouri and DESE, we will expand this program in to our middle school. It is planned to expand even further in the next couple of years into the high school so that students of all ages have access to these high level courses and activities.
We will also begin the new school year with a new mathematics program in our elementary. Eureka Math is a great math program that builds student’s knowledge logically and thoroughly to help them achieve deep understanding. This series will also help our students meet the current state standards.
Houston High School will begin sending a number of students to the SCCC (South Central Career Center) for vocational training. Students will have access to courses in auto mechanics, auto body, health occupations, culinary arts, and more. This is an opportunity that Houston students have not had access to for many years. We are also working to have in place an increase in opportunity here at Houston by reopening our Ag Welding program.
There will be some new faces in staffing this year, not only to Houston, but to education. I hope you will welcome them and continue to support the Houston Tigers!
Thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to working with you all for the benefit of our children.