Editor, The Spotlight;
This past week, we conducted the annual school district election for Bethlehem Central School District. It is with sincere gratitude, I thank the entire school community for their generous support this year, as well as over the past four budget cycles.
Every year, in the run up to the vote, we do as much as we can to encourage residents, of all ages, to advocate for the district and exercise their right to vote. You have always answered the call to assist the district in its need to secure our fair share of state funding, and we have always had great voter turn out in each of our election cycles. Therefore to the entire Bethlehem Central school community, on behalf of the Board of Education, staff, administration, and myself as your superintendent, thank you for voting overwhelmingly (78 percent) in support of the 2015-16 budget.
It is certainly wonderful to resolve the long-standing budget deficit that the district has been experiencing during the Great Recession. Our district is now well positioned to move forward in the coming years because of everyone’s hard work and sacrifice over the last few. However, our work is just beginning as we finish out the 2014-15 school year. In the coming years, inspiration I believe can be found by using, in education form, some of the words that John F. Kennedy was going to say to the nation, in his last speech:
“We need to stand together with renewed confidence in our cause — united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future of education — and determined that this District we love shall lead all into new frontiers of educational excellence and fiscal stability.”
These words are so true, as we look at education today and what we need to accomplish to secure the educational future of BC, as well as all other districts in New York State. This confidence shall be our guide as we continue to work with our elected leaders and shall bind us together to work for the interests of our students and community.
In the future months, we still have much work to do; however, let’s take some time to honor our communities commitment to education and our soon to be graduates. Please consider attending many of our end-of-the-year celebrations, at each of our schools, as well as any of our musical performances. Our students love to perform for our residents and their family.
Thank you again for your continued support of our schools and programs.
Dr. Thomas J. Douglas
Superintendent of Schools
