IN McKeesport Fall 2018 | Page 34

Dear McKeesport Area School District Families and Friends: Welcome back to the 2018-2019 school year! It is with great excitement that we continue on the second year of our journey together experiencing the teaching and learning process in the McKeesport Area School District. I hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing summer and spent quality time with their families. The 2017-2018 school year was successful in many ways... • Established a comprehensive curriculum in grades 6-12, that is accessible on the district website under the curriculum tab • Implemented a new English Language Arts and Reading program 6-12 and purchased a new K-5 English Language Arts and Reading program • Reviewed and reinforced all of our current safety procedures and efforts with more staff and student training including lockdown drills in every school • Completed a comprehensive study of our school district and implemented a detailed 5-year plan • Implemented student mentoring programs in each school As many of you visit our schools and attend events, please stop and introduce yourself. I always look forward to meeting new people and continuing many of my life long relationships in our communities. We ALL have to work together to make MASD a safe and dynamic educational opportunity for our students. Lastly, I would like to thank our determined and hardworking team of educators that engage the children of the MASD day after day. I am proud to say we are looking forward to piloting a one to one device initiative and expanding the educational experiences for all of our students. I look forward to continuing my frequent classroom visits and being an active member of the McKeesport Area School District communities. I will continue to challenge all our educators to improve the quality of our programs and create a productive overall school culture by delivering best practice instruction. The district’s leadership has done an excellent job assembling and reorganizing administrative teams that will support our staff and students and ensure each student receives a first-class educational experience. Sincerely, Dr. Mark P. Holtzman Superintendent Class of ‘97 The School District will have three early dismissals during the school year for Act 80 Trainings.  They will be held on September 21, October 12 and February 14. (Please note that February 14th is not listed on the date in the school calendars that were sent home.) 32 MCKEESPORT AREA