The View 38002 May 2014 | Page 5

MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS UPDATES Lakeland School System to Partner with Memphis Goodwill Industries Special to THE VIEW 38002 On April 1, the Lakeland Board of Education approved a resolution authorizing Lakeland School System to enter into a contract with Memphis Goodwill Industries to provide janitorial and grounds services to Lakeland Elementary School for the 2014--‐15 school year. The contract is being supervised by Community Rehabilitation Agencies of Tennessee which provides employment opportunities for Tennesseans with disabilities who face challenges in the competitive job market. Lakeland School System superintendent Dr. Ted Horrell described the partnership with Goodwill as an opportunity to give back to the Memphis community that will also benefit the students of Lakeland. “If we can receive outstanding service for our school at a highly competitive price while also providing opportunities for individuals with disabilities to find productive work, then this is a great outcome for all involved.” Horrell was impressed with the professionalism and responsiveness of the Goodwill staff with whom he worked in researching the 38002.com theview theview May 2014 possibility of working with Goodwill. He also received rave reviews from current Goodwill clients like The Soulsville Charter School. “I know our parents and community members have high expectations for the appearance and cleanliness of our school. I am confident that they will be impressed by the service we receive from Goodwill,” said Horrell. Horrell also noted that the small size of the Lakeland School System allowed him and the school board to think outside the box when considering options for services like janitorial and grounds. “While there are some challenges to being a small system, there are also opportunities for approaches that might not be feasible for larger systems,” stated Horrell. Memphis Goodwill, Inc. was founded in 1927 as a territory of the nationwide Goodwill Industries movement. Today the organization employs more than 770 people in Tennessee and Mississippi, many of whom face significant barriers to employment. Arlington Community Schools Reach Enrollment Targets By Terry Louderback At the April 22 Arlington Community School Board meeting, Superintendent Tammy Mason reported that the combined enrollment numbers for the four-school system had passed the numbers projected by the Southern Education Strategies Feasibility Report with a total of 4,400 students. Approval letters for nonresident status were sent to 641 students, including 6