Superintendent's Report September 2026
September 2026
The 2026-27 school year has started strong, with much to celebrate across the District!
NEWS YOU CAN USE: | ||
Families: |
|
|
Staff: |
|
|
Board Actions from 9/10/2026 Meeting: |
|
|
Important Dates: |
|
|
|
Superintendent’s Board Report - September 2026 |
|
The 2026-27 school year has started strong, with much to celebrate across the District!
|
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT |
|
|
Academics: The 2026-27 school year is off to a strong start. Teachers have received initial professional development to support implementation of our new Districtwide English Language Arts pilot (Amplify CKLA in grades TK-5 and Amplify ELA in grades 6-8), and additional training and support will continue throughout the year. Beginning-of-year STAR assessments in reading and mathematics are also underway. These assessments provide valuable baseline data to help teachers identify student strengths, target instruction, and provide additional support where needed. Enrollment: We are very pleased that the overall District enrollment is currently higher than last year. This is particularly encouraging given the declining enrollment the District and many surrounding communities have experienced in recent years. Enrollment remains open at all four school sites, and we look forward to continuing to welcome new students and families throughout the year. | ||
|
STUDENT WELLNESS |
|
|
Student Supports & Safety: Supporting safe, welcoming, and connected schools remains a District priority. Prior to the start of school, staff participated in site safety meetings and completed required beginning-of-year trainings, with most annual training requirements now complete. The District also continues implementation of Character Strong, our social-emotional learning curriculum, to support student connection, well-being, and positive school environments. Student Activities: Students are already becoming involved beyond the classroom, with soccer, volleyball, and cross country teams established for the fall season at the middle schools. These opportunities give students additional ways to build connections with their schools, develop teamwork and leadership skills, and experience success outside the classroom. Student Recognition: This month, we will begin our strategic student recognition efforts with a focus on a “Strong Start.” Students will be recognized for establishing positive attendance habits during the opening weeks of school. Regular attendance remains an important District priority because consistent attendance supports academic achievement, student connection, and overall success. | ||
|
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT |
|
|
Our Districtwide Back to School/Meet the Teacher Night was very well attended, providing families an opportunity to visit classrooms, meet staff, and begin the year connected to their child's school. We continue to strengthen communication with families through ParentSquare, with 97.2% of families currently connected. This is a great start toward our goal of 100% participation; we will continue reaching out to remaining families to ensure everyone receives important District and school communications. The District is also continuing to collect Income Surveys from families who have not yet completed them. These confidential surveys are important because the information collected helps generate additional funding that directly supports programs and services for our students. We appreciate families taking the time to complete this important information. | ||
|
STAFFING |
|
|
Staffing: The District began the school year with all certificated teaching positions filled. We continue to actively recruit for our school nurse position and are making progress filling the remaining classified vacancies. We will continue to monitor staffing needs throughout the year to ensure our schools and programs are appropriately supported. Staff Development: Staff participated in several professional learning and training opportunities prior to welcoming students back to school, including safety training, required annual trainings, and professional development related to our new ELA instructional materials. Our August 14 Districtwide staff meeting also gave employees across all four schools a chance to come together around District priorities, with a significant focus on improving our Child Nutrition Program and increasing student participation in school meals. | ||
|
FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP |
|
|
Budget: The District's 2025-26 Unaudited Actuals are presented to the Board this month and provide a final accounting of revenues and expenditures from the prior fiscal year. As reported in August, the District continues to navigate rising operational costs and increased expenditures in areas such as special education and employee health and welfare benefits. The District remains in a stable financial position and can meet its financial obligations for the current year and the next two years, while continuing to carefully monitor expenditures and future budget needs. Enrollment & Revenue: The increase in District enrollment at the beginning of the school year is encouraging both programmatically and financially. We will continue monitoring enrollment and attendance closely, as both play an important role in District funding. Child Nutrition: Our Districtwide effort to strengthen the Child Nutrition Program is already showing very positive results. Following the August 14 District meeting and increased staff efforts to encourage student participation, the District has seen a significant increase in meals served across all four school sites. During the first nine days of school, the District served 4,125 breakfasts, a 144% increase over the 1,693 breakfasts served during the same period last year. Lunch participation also increased, with 5,905 lunches served compared to 4,762 last year, representing a 24% increase. Students are enjoying the addition of second-chance breakfast and multiple lunch choices, while breakfast and lunch remain free for all students. Increased participation ensures more students have access to nutritious meals each day, while also increasing meal reimbursement and supporting the program's long-term financial sustainability. | ||
Important Dates |
|
|
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Betts - FESD Superintendent