What Makes Rock Hill Schools? Can it be preserved in next years budget?

Is it; ParentSmart - providing information to new parents on parenting; partnership with Early Learning Partnership of York County to provide free books for children under 6; schools of choice in Montessori and Gifted and Talented; the Brattonsville Academy where all 3rd graders get to experience first hand what it was like to go to school in 1840; the Carroll School, where all 4th graders spend the day in the only Rosenwald school still in use for teaching children; the foreign language immersion program for all 3rd - 5th graders; the 4th grade swimming program where everyone learns to swim; the Challenger after school program where children can be attended to after school as well as get homework help; the Elementary Honors Choir; the Middle School Honors Choir: the High School International Baccalaureate programs; the award winning band, chorus, strings, jazz, and art programs at the high schools; or the championship soccer, football, basketball, cross country, wrestling, and track programs; the use of technology in every classroom utilizing Promethean Boards; and Nurses in every school. These are some of the things that we project as an image of what we are. But, they are not who we are.

We are people! The largest employer in York County - where learning is a relationship. All the tools and programs will not enhance learning without a relationship to mentor and motivate. Every District Employee has the ability to lead and inspire. Without our people, we are nothing.

Can we maintain who we are in this challenging budget year? We can if we build our budget starting with people first. We'll find we don't need a lot of the things we think we do, and we'll see that our people will find a way to make things happen with limited resources. It's times like this that make us better and stronger.

Jim