May 2017                         Monthly Newsletter
Issue 4
Mission:
To educate all students to succeed by insuring quality leadership, curriculum, and instruction.
School Satisfaction Survey
Dear Clarinda School District Stakeholders,

The Clarinda Community School District i nvit es you to participate in a survey about our schools. Your feedback will assist the district in making decisions for continuous improvement and allow us to understand how our constitu ents feel about our schools. 

While completing the survey, focus your thoughts and perceptio ns based on your experience with the school, as well as your perceptions of a child's experience as a student.

Your responses are completely anonymous and the survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The survey closes on Wednesday, May 17th.  Thank you for your participation!

Yours in Education,
Deron Stender, Superintendent
Class of 2017 Graduation Ceremony is May 14th
Please join us on May 14th, at 2:00 pm, at the Clarinda High School Gym to celebrate the success of our students. 

Please click here to view the high school website for information on the year end events.
The Value of Education Supported by Local Taxes

We appreciate our taxpayers and their support of education. The school board works diligently to ensure that our taxpayer dollars are used to provide our students with a quality education so they are competitive and successful. We strive to provide an education that meets the community's needs and expectations.

Recently, the Clarinda School Board approved the district's fiscal 2018 budget, with a tax levy of $10.98 per thousand dollar property valuation. The Community Finance Advisory Committee recommended and the school board approved a .42 increase over the 2016-2017 ($10.56) levy.

How does this impact Clarinda taxpayers?

Example: $100,000 property/1,000=100x.42= $42.00.

The means a $42.00 increase for the year, or about $3.50 per month.

Clarinda continues to have the lowest tax levy in SW Iowa and ranks among the lowest taxed districts in the state.  The district maximizes taxpayer support to provide a quality education that offers our students many opportunities.   

School Board Recognition Month
Clarinda Community School District will join public education systems throughout the state to salute local school board members and celebrate public education during Iowa’s annual School Board Recognition Month in May.

The commemorative month is designed to recognize the contributions made by Iowa’s nearly 1,900 local school boards, community college and AEA board members, including the members of the Clarinda Board of Education, who are charged with governing public education under state law.

Clarinda school board members are chosen by their communities through elections to manage our local schools. They oversee an annual budget of $18 million, 962 students, 134 employees and 3 buildings.  

These volunteer leaders are also responsible for formulating school policy, approving curricula, maintaining school facilities and adhering to state and federal education law. Legal concerns and the complexities of school finance, including budgeting and taxation, require them to spend many hours in board training programs and personal study to enhance their understanding of these issues.

We don’t always recognize the dedication and hard work of these volunteer public servants who are elected to represent us and the interest of our children. Invite them out for coffee. Ask how you might help support your local community schools. Write your school board members a thank you note. Let them know you appreciate what they do for your kids and our community.

Please join us by saying “thanks” to our school board members during the Iowa School Board Association’s School Board Member Recognition Month in May.  Thank you Darin Sunderman, Scott McComb, Palin Turner, Nola Bond, and Greg Jones for their dedication and commitment to our students, staff, and community. 
REMINDER: Last Day of School is May 19th

The last day of school is Friday, May 19th. The school board amended the 2016-2017 calendar and designated Friday, May 19th as the last day of school for students.  Please note, there is no early dismissal and the school will follow the normal start and end times.

Join Superintendent Stender for Coffee
Join Superintendent Deron Stender on Friday, May 5th, from 7:30-8:30 am, at McDonald's and Friday, June 2nd, from 7:30-8:30 am, at the Garrison House for coffee.

The events are meant to be informal opportunities for conversation with the Superintendent.  There are no agendas or formal presentations. Participants are encouraged to bring their questions and comments and are welcome to come and go as their schedule allows.  

Monthly coffees are held on the first Friday of each month in a variety of locations in our community.  Please check the  district website  for locations.
Summer Reading Builds Literacy Skills

Our students have been busy reading lots of books. This year, more than 47,000 books were circulated at our schools. 

Many studies show children who read during the summer improve their reading ability and those who don’t tend to lose literacy skills. This year, we are collaborating with the Lied Public Library to promote their summer reading programs. Lied Public Library Youth Services Librarian, Marissa Gruber, will be visiting our schools on Friday, May 12th, to share information with students about these exciting summer programs. 

If you have any questions, please contact:

Clarinda Community Schools at 712-542-2132 or jcabeen@clarindacsd.org 
Lied Public Library at 712-542-2416 or askliedlib@iowatelecom.net

Reminder: Please return all school library books by Tuesday, May 9th.

Clarinda Community School District
423 East Nodaway
Clarinda, Iowa 51632
www.clarinda.k12.ia.us
712-542-5165
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