End of the School Year

Last night at our Board meeting, we recognized the 26 Berryessa district employees who are retiring this year. Between them, they represent about 650 years of service to students. It's hard to even imagine how many lives they have touched. It has been a tremendous pleasure getting to personally know many of the great retirees and they will be missed.

What makes the Berryessa community so great is the combination of wonderful families, amazing students, and dedicated employees. I love living in a community with such rich diversity and caring people.

Now that the year is coming to a close, I want to express my appreciation to all employees of the Berryessa School District, who go above and beyond on a regular basis. It has been a challenging year, and I know many of our certificated employees (teachers, counselors, etc) have been through a rough period of uncertainty, due to California's budget crisis. Fortunately, before the last day of school, we have been able to reinstate all employees that had been laid off in May. There are still uncertain times ahead, but it will be great to start the 2011-2012 school year with all of our current staff returning.

Thanks to everyone for all you do for the children of Berryessa. If you are a member of PTA, thanks for raising money and helping your schools do just a little extra. If you are a volunteer, thanks for making your school a better place. If you are a parent of one of the district's 8000 students, thanks for being positive role models in the community. If you are a district employee, thanks for making the school district a positive learning environment for our children.

Have a great summer. Rest, recharge, and get ready for even better things to come.