O'DEA: School year gave us many reasons to give thanks

Any school district is only as successful as its people make it. Today’s column is dedicated to the many people who make a school district successful.

A special thank you to our outstanding PTA in the elementary and the Booster Clubs in the middle and high schools. Both of these groups consist of boards and members who are hardworking, positive, supporting and extremely capable of pulling off a task. These members give selflessly of their time, talents and energy, whether it is for the annual elementary school carnival, the quarterly book fairs, running a concession stand or the after-prom party.

A special thank you to our Site Council members at each building for their involvement and leadership in monitoring and evaluating programs and improvement processes. The partnership between the staff and parents is evident at our Site Council meetings. Ideas are shared and discussed, and parents are able to see beyond the needs of their own child and work toward meeting the needs of all children.

A special thank you to our many parent and community volunteers. Parents and community members who volunteer are a valuable and important component of the success of our schools. We need and greatly appreciate the thousands of volunteer hours donated each year in our schools. These volunteers show the partnerships between the school, home and community are working, and enhance and enrich the educational opportunities for our students. Our volunteers help in many ways: working in classrooms, volunteering in special programs in individual classes, supervising field trips, supporting our many fund raising opportunities, helping at home to prepare teacher materials ... the list goes on and on.

A special thank you to all the area businesses that supported our school this year. They have provided an important resource to our school with their involvement. Whether it is with food for an event or helping to sponsor the wonderful after-prom party, all we have to do is ask and they are there with support.

A special thank you to all the highly qualified teachers who have worked tirelessly to provide a productive and positive learning climate where opportunities for quality instruction, creativity and academic achievement for each student was accomplished. The teachers at the Wellsville schools are among the best this profession has to offer and we are fortunate to have their services at USD 289. Our teachers put in many hours beyond the “regular duty day” to provide the type of atmosphere we want for our students. In addition, they continue to write and receive grant funding to implement several of our innovative programs. At this time of increased need for academic improvement and decreased funding, our teachers are under a tremendous amount of pressure. Please give them your support.

A special thank you to all the support staff who consistently demonstrate the highest degree of dedication and professional performance. Thanks to these individuals, students are delivered safely to and from school, students work in clean rooms, extra student help is given when needed by classroom aides and nutritious meals are served. We are indeed fortunate to have so many wonderful, warm and caring people to work with and nurture our children.

A special thank you to our building and district secretaries who make our days brighter and more efficient. Our secretaries handle the incredible demands and interruptions of the front office with skill, tact and patience. Parents, staff and students value their warmth, caring, hard work and dedication.

A special thank you to our wonderful, supportive parents. You are appreciated for your unfailing support and involvement in your child’s education. The Parent/School Partnership is a key ingredient to the success of the schools in USD 289. Parent support can only enhance and enrich your child’s educational program. Parents who care and who are actively involved in the schools make a significant difference in the success of their child in school.

Finally, a special thank you to our students, who have worked hard and demonstrated fine progress in all academic areas. They have continued to amaze us with their skills, creativity and performance. Students have willingly served their school in a variety of activities. It is a privilege to be able to work with such wonderful students. They provide the joys and rewards that come from such an important responsibility as that of educating children.

All of the above individuals make up the community of Wellsville schools. They are the ingredients that make our schools such a good place to be.

Denise O’Dea is superintendent of the Wellsville school district.