August Message from the Superintendent
Economics were the frontline of the past year. We were so caught up in economics that if you weren't careful, you may have missed the fact that our students and staff accomplished more remarkable feats than ever before. From the classroom to the stage to the sports arena, students and staff were about success.

I don't think that will stop. I expect this year's students will outperform last year's students. We are working diligently to develop a culture in the New Prague Area Schools of annual improvement and there's no retreating from our commitments. Far from a holding pattern, I think we are going to have a great year. It's because the people who are part of the schools – students, faculty, staff, parents and community – are committed to improvement.

We have an intriguing year ahead of us. We are living through very difficult economic times. It's hard not to have economics be the only driver in the way we think about education. However, I believe education has always been about the future and the future I envision cannot be eclipsed or constricted by the present economic circumstances. In education, our life has always been about tomorrow and we are constantly aware that the efforts of today will be realized in the future. It is imperative that we cautiously balance our focus on the current economic climate so as not to eliminate vital opportunities from our students.

We may be in an economic recession, but we definitely are not in an intellectual recession. The future for today's student will involve a world exponentially more complex, a world driven by change. Previously undeveloped countries are now emerging as global partners for our students. We cannot retreat from anything we are doing in schools. Rather we need to be building on the preparation we provide in schools.

People have been talking about doing more with less for years. We are doing more with less, necessitating working smarter. We will continue to work smarter and find economy wherever they can be found, but our mission hasn't changed. The need to give our students the best opportunity possible for their future, not our past or present, remains our primary goal. It also means we'll need the support of the entire community. Our standard of excellence remains despite being 319th out of 340 school districts in Minnesota in per pupil spending. Whether or not you have students in school, the economic prosperity of our school district, our state, and our nation will depend upon all of us. The future of America's working force is the student in the classroom today. We cannot have an economic recovery in this country without supporting our educational system. The enhancement of our public education goes hand-in-hand with economic health and stability.

We are long past the day when people wondered whether the New Prague Area Schools provided a better education than other districts in Minnesota. Today's question is whether the New Prague Area Schools prepares our students to compete in a global environment by providing a world-class education.

Whatever our circumstance, adjusting to change is the most significant issue we face. We in the New Prague Area Schools are committed to challenging all of our students to achieve their best. We must now challenge ourselves with the commitment of supporting them in their educational journey. We must work as a team – students, parents, staff and community – to ensure that today's students are truly ready for their lives in this new century, to do anything less would be to fail our young people. Past generations have always supported the opportunities and education of their children. Now it is our turn to meet the challenge and provide for the education of New Prague's current student body.

A. Superintendent's Advisory Council: I am forming a new Superintendent's Advisor Council which will offer community members an opportunity to become more involved with our district. This council will keep me informed of concerns and goals in the community as I keep them informed of our achievements, challenges, and goals in the district. The group will meet quarterly. If interested, I can be reached at cmenozzi@np.k12.mn.us or at 952-758-1701.

B. Superintendents Questions: In future articles, I would be happy to address any questions you might have regarding the school district. Please email them to me at cmenozzi@np.k12.mn.us.

C. Funding For Our Schools: Beginning in September, I will be writing a series of articles on the history of and need for adequate funding of our public schools. My goal is to provide a world-class education for our students, preparing each of them to be "college-ready^TM when they graduate from our system