Wow – What a great first week! Students worked hard this first week of school getting accustomed to new teachers, new classmates and in some cases a new campus. Enrollment for the first day was 706 students. The breakdown is as follows: 39 in PK 3 & 4; 12 in PK Headstart; Grades K – 50; 1st – 47; 2nd - 51; 3rd 57; 4th – 50; 5th – 33; 6th – 54; 7th – 51; 8th – 55; 9th 56; 10th – 59; 11th 45; 12th - 47. Enrollment is up from the first day of 2009 by 34 students. We hope that we can keep this upward trend going and enrollment will increase.

This last week, students at San Saba High School enjoyed the rollout of their Macbooks. It was absolutely amazing seeing 200 laptops all logged in to the internet at the same time and students working and showing their classmates what they had learned. High School students received their laptops on Tuesday and then on Wednesday through Friday, students attended rotating sessions of 1 ½ hours each where teachers taught all the applications of the Apple system. Students attended sessions where they were reviewed on the rules, they learned Safari and Firefox browsers, Garageband, Keynote, iCal; iPhoto; PhotoBooth; iTunes, the utilities, Pages, Numbers and much, much more. By the end of the three days, the students and the teachers had become experts in the various software programs.

The technology focus will shift to middle and elementary school as staff begins to look at a modified tech academy for middle school. As well, staff will be looking at ways to utilize newly placed laptop computers in elementary classrooms. The beginning plans are for teachers to use these laptops as stations or centers for student use to extend and enhance instruction. As well, middle school will be receiving COWS – computers on wheels to bring a mobile lab to the classroom.

The School Board of Trustees met on Monday, August 30, 2010 in special session to host a budget hearing and then in a separate meeting to adopt the budget, tax rate, and to close out the 2009-2010 school year. The 2010-2011 budget decreased in expenditures by 4.1 percent overall in all combined budgets. The administration looked hard at ways to trim the budget and remain true to the instructional integrity that is needed to provide a sound education for the children of San Saba. The ISD has reduced staff, cut insurance programs for extra curriculars, trimmed budgeted expenditures in utilities, and fuel and cut back several areas of administration. Additionally, the District has reverted to only two counselors serving PK – 12 students. Revenues from the state decreased with the state providing 64 percent of the total district revenue, 28 percent coming from local sources and only 8 percent provided by federal sources. The administration and board of trustees has braced itself for cuts from the state and federal level as they have been able to set aside a fund balance to support two months operating if the legislature is unable to appropriate funds or if payments are delayed. Additionally, the trustees designated funds to support future construction and technology.

Please make plans to come out to Rogan Field in our first home varsity football game! Go ‘Dillos… BEAT Goldthwaite! Please visit www.san-saba.net to view events and find information you need to know about SSISD. As well, don’t forget to sign up for the "alerts" available from the website, and don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for the Parent Portal giving parents access to grades and attendance. Parents, let us know how we can help you the first day of school all the way until the last day of school!! If you have any question about this article or any other question about school happenings please contact me at 325/372-3144 or email me at lglaze@san-saba.net . We are San Saba! We are together!