Home Antioch AUSD Superintendent Issues “Welcome Back Message”

AUSD Superintendent Issues “Welcome Back Message”

by ECT

The following message was released Monday by Antioch Unified School District Superintendent Stephanie Anello welcoming the 2016-17 school year.

Dear Parent/guardians,

Welcome to the Antioch Unified School District (AUSD) and the 2016-17 school year! Whether you are returning or new to the District, we welcome you to the AUSD family! As a parent of children who have attended our schools, I can honestly say that AUSD is a great place to get an education. One thing that sets our District apart from others is the dedication and commitment of our staff. Those who choose to work in AUSD are passionate about helping students succeed and we value the connection that we make with students, families, and the greater Antioch community.

We have made some positive and significant changes in the last five years. We’ve brought counselors to all elementary, middle, and high schools in the District and invested in visual and performing arts programs so that students have the opportunity to learn to play an instrument, participate in a play, and/or express themselves through media production, painting, or other visual arts. We’ve gone from one high school career-themed pathway several short years ago, to ten so that students can deeply explore a variety of careers and interests. We’ve also invested in social emotional supports for students which are showing positive results as they give students tools to better respond to challenging and/or frustrating situations.

While we still have areas for growth and improvement, the District is showing positive improvements in several key areas:

This year, graduation rates increased 6.8% compared to the prior year and the District now outpaces the State average for the number of students graduating on time.

The number of students graduating ‘college ready’ having met all A-G college eligibility requirements has increased 12% since 2012.

The percentage of students who ‘drop out’ has decreased significantly from 18% in 2011 to below 7% in 2015.

The number of days students are suspended each year has dropped 48% since 2011. Additionally, during that same time period, expulsions in the District dropped 65%.

Below is the link to a short three minute video I created with Deer Valley High School production teacher, Kiel Olff and his students. Its message is essentially that yesterday is the past and it is time to move forward, together, towards the common goal of making sure the future is bright for every child who enters our schools.

It’s a new day in Antioch and we are glad you are a part of it.

With sincere good wishes,

Stephanie

It’s a New Day – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYHtkMzt9EI

You may also like