Schools succeed when everyone is involved | Supt. Mellody Matthes

Editor’s note: Mellody Matthes, interim superintendent of the Tukwila School District, will write a regular column for the Tukwila Reporter about the school district.

Fall colors are beginning to show their brilliance, the first home football game of the season was played and another school year in Tukwila has begun. This is the 100th graduating class of the Tukwila School District and we have reason to celebrate. We have a strong history of success and partnerships with our community, we have continued to make improvements in both academics and extended programs. Let’s make this the year where dreams come true and each of us can say that we made a different in a child’s life. Go Bulldogs! The school is the center of our community. It is absolutely a fact that families and community that are firmly connected to our schools will result in a better education for our children. When parents and the community are involved in children’s learning, schools work better and students learn more. I believe that you play an important role in the success of the future for our children.

Our district mission is “to educate all students to achieve personal and academic excellence.”  I believe that all children can learn, and much of the foundation of learning is attitude. We can all contribute to a child’s education by instilling the joy of learning and by emphasizing the importance of an education. You can model the importance of school by reading with your children every day; just 15 minutes a night will make a difference. Parents can model the importance of school by checking your child’s attendance on our student database “skyward,” and by attending parent-teacher conferences, and supporting after school activities. When the community and family attend after-school events, athletic events, performing arts, science fairs and cultural events – this sends a message to our children that our families and community care about their success in our schools.  If you are interested in attending school events to support our children please go to our website: http://www.tukwila.wednet.edu/.

Together we can influence a child’s attitude by instilling a passion for learning, and establishing the personal habits of excellent attendance and being prepared for each and every day. This is the role that you can play; this is how we can influence the future together for our children.  Let’s continue to work together so that the Tukwila School District 100th graduating class of 2013 can be the most prepared for success in a 21st century world and will enrich the lives of others in the home, at the work place, and in our communities. I would like to thank our families and community for the continued support you give to the Tukwila School District. I know that by working together as partners we can improve learning for all our students.  I look forward to sharing more with you in future editions on what Tukwila is doing to improve our schools.

I wish all of us a happy, healthy and learning year.

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