A Message from the Superintendent

ANOTHER NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!
AUGUST 2010

Gearing up for the New School Year Ahead!

It's been another great summer for all of us living along the Lake Michigan shoreline. In fact, it's tough to find anywhere else in the country where residents can boast of better sun, sand, and surf activities than we have here in West Michigan. I trust your family has had a splashing good time these last couple months. I suggest you continue squeezing every last bit of summer out of the weeks ahead. Make it a point to enjoy the end-of-summer beach, backyard, and boating activities that uniquely define our special little corner of the world!

Here in the school district we're just about ready to begin the 2010/2011 school year. The first day for staff is Tuesday, August 31st ... with students reporting a week later on Tuesday,

September 7th. Both dates are fast approaching. Before you know it we'll be caught up in the hustle and bustle of another exciting new school year.

New Facilities Greet Students, Staff, and Community Residents:

This is sure to be another memorable year in the history of Mona Shores Public Schools.

That's because the district is opening a beautiful new High School gymnasium and adjacent set of physical fitness facilities this fall ... along with a new Middle School orchestra room, expanded cafeteria, and completely remodeled kitchen. As you know, these wonderful

building improvements were funded by the community's generous passage of last year's 2009 bond issue. These locally funded capital improvement projects will do much to

inspire our very appreciative students, parents, and staff ... especially at a time when they're courageously dealing with a 9th straight year of painful program and service cuts brought on by Lansing's continued funding cuts to K-12 public schools.

This fall's opening of our new High School and Middle School facilities is serving as the high point of our District's yearlong Golden Anniversary/50th birthday celebration. So, please make plans to join us on Tuesday evening, September 14th, for an exciting Open House-Dedication

when the District will formally present the impressive new high school facility to the entire Sailor school-community. It should be a fun evening for all. Also look for more details about the Middle School Dedication in the weeks ahead.

Student Achievement/Honors:

Recently released spring and summer test scores continue to show that Mona Shores is one of the finest school districts in all of West Michigan. Our students consistently post some of the highest MEAP and MME-ACT achievement scores in the area, and across the state. It doesn't stop there. On a national level Newsweek Magazine just recognized our high school as one of the very best in the nation. All of this success is possible because of the hard work and commitment of our talented students, staff, parents, Board of Education, and Community at-large. As I've shared in so many of our previous editions of the Lighthouse View, hardly a week goes by without some student or group of students being recognized in the media for  their outstanding accomplishments.

Funding Problems Continue:

Mona Shores and every other school district in Michigan continue to struggle with serious budget problems. In response to continued funding cuts from Lansing, our Board of Education

was forced to approve over $3.2 million in program and service reductions this past June. This was the 9th straight year our Board had no choice but to make very difficult budget reductions. Since these cuts still left the District with a significant budget deficit this school year, the Board also approved using up to $1.5 million of declining fund equity savings to balance this year's 2010/2011 General Fund Budget. This is the seventh time in the last nine

years the Board had to utilize Districts savings to balance the budget. Absent an immediate and significant increase in state per pupil funding, the Board and Administration will be forced to make even deeper program and service cuts next spring. Please feel free to contact school board members and district leaders if you have any questions and/or comments

about the district's financial status. Your inquiries and input are always welcome. You're also encouraged to attend monthly school board meetings. Doing so will allow you to provide valuable resident insight. If you can't attend, you can always find board meeting minutes

on the District's website at www. monashores.net. As always, please accept my standing

invitation to visit our school buildings this year. When doing so you'll see first-hand the impressive performance of our outstanding students and staff members. I look forward to seeing you in one of our buildings this year!

Enjoy the remainder of your summer everyone!

Terry L. Babbitt
Superintendent of Schools
(231) 780-4751, extension 8205