July 21, 2022
Dear Jerome School District Families, Teachers, and Staff,
Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year in the Jerome School District! I hope that you had anopportunity to relax, recharge, and enjoy the summer break. This is a great time to be a part of the Jerome School District. If you are new, welcome to a vibrant, growing school district that is poised to do great things. If you are returning, welcome back!
As Superintendent, there is no better feeling than the start of a new school year. Regardless of your role or title, we are all part of the JSD family (One Team, One Town, One Family!) and share in the excitement that comes with the new year. We know that the BA.5 covid variant is lurking out there, but it appears to be fairly mild, so I’m feeling optimistic that we will be able to get back to a more normal school year and start making up for lost academic time with our students.
I’m also very excited about the implementation of the college preparation program, AVID, in our entire school district, grades K through 12. It won’t happen overnight, but district-wide all of our students will begin to learn the academic and organizational skills that students need to be able to succeed in college and life beyond high school. Regardless of their path, whether college, a career technical program, or a trades program, AVID will help Jerome students assimilate the academic skills required to achieve success in school and in life.
Another exciting thing is the August 30 bond election that would provide funding for a complete renovation of Jefferson Elementary. Passage of this $12 million bond would give the school district four quality elementary facilities that would be on par with each other. The solid financial position of JSD allows this to be done without raising the tax levy rate. A one-year construction project at Jefferson would delay by one year the shift to a K-6 configuration, since Jefferson students would attend the new Frontier Elementary while their school was being renovated. I look at this as a small sacrifice for something that will benefit the whole JSD family for decades. Please take a moment to look at the “Frequently Asked Questions” document that follows this letter and mark the August 30 election day on your calendar. It will take every Jerome School District employee, parent, grandparent, and friend to reach the two-thirds majority needed to pass the bond levy.
I wish everyone a great first day and a fantastic school year!
