Falcon School District 49 was proud to recognize every one of our employees during American Education Week Nov. 14-20. Public schools are the backbone of our democracy, providing young people with the tools they need to maintain our nation’s values, freedom and equality. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, neighbor or teacher; you play an important role in the lives of each child in D 49. Thank you for your support.I want to extend my sincere appreciation on behalf of our district administration to all of the volunteers who took time to man the phones, walk the neighborhoods and rally support for our bond issue. Unfortunately, the bond issue did not pass, earning approximately 48 percent of voters’ approval.The district is extremely disappointed, and failure of the bond presents us with serious challenges as we work to meet the needs of our growing number of students. However, we are confident we will work together as a district to continue providing the highest quality education.D 49 experienced a 2.6 percent growth district-wide for the 2010-11 school year, and we remain one of the fastest growing school districts in the state. The district is working to plan long-term, and the bond issue was a critical piece of that strategy. Prior to the election, district leaders developed a plan so we would be prepared in case the bond issue failed to pass. That plan will now provide guidelines as the district moves forward with a growing student population and limited resources. We must consider all options and we will have tough decisions to make. As always, our focus remains on students. We recognize the current economic situation and will continue operating in a conservative manner.Our Board of Education will soon have a fifth member. Board president Dave Martin appointed Rusty Moomey to fill a vacant position on the board during the November meeting. Moomey has lived in D 49 since 1990 and his son graduated from Sand Creek High School in 2010. He has 21 years of experience in education and is currently the principal at Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs.Moomey brings an extensive educational background to the Board. His previous positions include serving as principal to open Galileo Magnet School in Colorado Springs and working as a coach at the middle school, high school and collegiate levels. He replaces former board member Danielle Lindorf, who moved out of state with her family over the summer. Moomey will officially be sworn in at the Dec. 9 board meeting.The district welcomes your participation at any of our public meetings. You may also e-mail or call with questions to the district administrators or the Board of Education. We have listed all of our contact information at www.d49.org.I hope you will have the opportunity to enjoy some restful time with friends and family throughout the holiday season. As we move into this festive, often chaotic time of year, it is an opportunity to be thankful and to share with others. It is wonderful to see our students and staff reaching out to our community. Food drives at our schools and events have brought in pounds and pounds of donated items to aid food banks in providing meals to those in need.The D 49 Transportation Department comes together in a big way over the holidays, providing more than 50 D 49 students with a day of fun, food and presents with Santa. The annual Santa’s Toy Express is a way to assist students and their families here in our district who need extra help this holiday season.The district will be closed Dec. 23-31 for the Christmas holiday and will reopen Monday, Jan. 3. As we wrap up 2010, it is a time to reflect on our many blessings and to thank you for all your support of our students and our schools.
