Diboll Independent School District

Dear Diboll ISD students, parents and community,

On Aug. 22, more than 1900 students, Pre-kindergarten thru 12th grade, will walk through the front doors of our schools to begin the school year. In doing so, they will be taking advantage of a multitude of wonderful educational opportunities provided by the taxpayers in our district. The new academic year will bring with it many new challenges, as well as many new rewards. There will be new teachers to meet, new books to read, new friends to meet, new skills to master - and I hope that you will be able to share in these exciting times.

It is a parent's enthusiasm that inspires children to do their best. It is a parent's involvement that is one of the biggest indicators of a child's success. And it is a parent's nurture and guidance that allows children to develop a true love of learning. As a parent of a daughter who graduated from Diboll high school in 2010, I know how important - and fleeting - these years are. So I urge you to take the time from your busy schedules to become familiar with your children's schools, as well as provide a positive home environment that will allow your children to excel. Please sign up for our free "Parent Connect" system which gives you instant internet and cell phone access to your child's grades and attendance. Make sure all phone numbers and addresses are correct as we will be using our "School Reach" call out system to keep you updated on daily changes that could occur throughout the school year.

Diboll ISD's commitment to the community we serve is to love and care about our students and to do everything we can to ensure each student's academic and extracurricular success. You can be proud of your children's progress in school. The trend in student achievement remains positive, but I know we can do better. The most recent scores on the statewide assessments were mixed and showed a slowdown in the yearly progress we made from the previous year. With a renewed commitment, I am positive that we can regain the momentum to make this an exemplary school year.

In closing, we survived the 82nd Legislature with losses of around $725,000.00 dollars in state funding along with another $150,000.00 in state grants. I assure you we will still have all of our programs; they will be lean and efficient as possible. We addressed areas of overstaffing and tightened our budget. Based on board goals we rehired staff in areas of our greatest need which was math and science teachers. It was a trying yet rewarding year for all of us. You will be happy to know that as discussed back in the 2009 Bond election the Board has accepted a proposed .8 cents tax decrease for the 11-12 school year and will be voting on the Tax rate August 30, 2011. The new lower adopted rate will probably require a Tax Ratification Election (TRE) in November because we want to restructure the rate to try and gain $750,000.00 back from the state. I urge you to stay informed, ask questions and above all else support the children of Diboll ISD in every way possible.

Always,

Gary Martel

Gary Martel,

Superintendent of Schools

Files:

•  33012 Monday message web page.docx