I’m pleased to announce Rockdale County Public Schools has achieved Adequate Yearly Progress for the fifth consecutive year! Furthermore, 100 percent of the schools within the district achieved AYP. This is a remarkable accomplishment that attests to the hard work and dedication of students, teachers, parents, volunteers and staff who strive to make education a number one priority. Our focus continues to be on increasing student achievement and encouraging students to pursue challenging goals. More students than ever are choosing to enroll in honor courses, and this year, Rockdale County and Salem high schools were named 2010 Advanced Placement Honor Schools by the Georgia Department of Education. Overall, we have seen a 30 percent increase in the number of students taking AP courses in the past two years, and it continues to be our mission to educate and inspire all students to succeed in their endeavors and to become lifelong learners.

Last year we opened the new C.J. Hicks Elementary School, and this year, we will be expanding the Rockdale County High School campus to allow for expansion of the Magnet program for science and technology. Also, we continue to grow our early learning program as research indicates that long-term literacy skills improve when children are better prepared to enter kindergarten. Our innovative approach to credit recovery, our Rockdale Virtual Campus, Rockdale Open Campus, the Rockdale Career Academy, and our partnerships with post-secondary institutions provide students with more learning opportunities than ever before. This is evident in the fact that last year we achieved the highest graduation rate since the accountability measurement was established in 2001 as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Once again, I would like to urge parents to stay involved with their child’s education and encourage their student to work hard and dream big. This year, we will continue to promote our Be There parent involvement campaign and the Parent Advisory Council, which continues to provide outreach initiatives and resources. We seek the help of the entire community to support education and the future of the children we serve. Become a mentor, volunteer, or a Partner in Education. Help us recognize the achievements of our students and teachers by donating to the Academic Booster Club, or give a teacher the opportunity to increase innovation and technology in the classroom by donating to the Foundation for Excellence in Education and supporting its teacher mini-grant program.

We will be hosting a fall and spring Superintendent’s Community Forum to provide opportunities for peer discussion and to share the state of the system, goals and initiatives, and questions and answers with myself and other system leaders. Please visit our Web site at www.rockdale.k12.ga.us for the dates and times of these forums as well as school system news and information, such as our Parents Are Powerful resource link. The future of our children depends on all of us. Thank you for your support and involvement in education.