Welcome Back!! I am very excited to be back at Parsley this year, and I look forward to seeing everyone. We have so many wonderful children returning and many new faces joining us for the first time. Welcome to all. My goal this year is to spend more time focused on instruction and spend more time with teachers and students to ultimately improve student acheivement. The following poem was inspired by the workshops and reflections we did with the staff in the opening days before school. Hopefully it will give you an insight into my focus and goals for this 2008-09 school year. We Build the Future We build the future and make decisions each day That help children grow by everything we do and say. So where are we headed? What are our goals? Where will be guide these young precious souls? What do we envisions the future to be? And how does his reshape the profession... and me? Our world's ever changing, our future's unknown We have the power to shape it, but we can't do it alone. We must work together, a community in sync Working and planning to guide what we think Our work must be led by a common mission and vision To align and drive each and every decision. With purpose and passion, raise the bar high, Knowing each child can eventually fly. If you teach each child and make it your goal To help them succeed, then we succeed as a whole. Start at the beginning and keep the vision clear And we'll mold the future, year after year. A future that's healthy, educated and caring With a population that is productive, respectful and sharing. We build the future and make decisions each day, That help our children grow by everythinkg we do and say. Choose wisely, our future depends on it. Arlene Suggs