With the holidays approaching, now is a great time to share how thankful we are as a school system to have the support of our community and strong relationships with local service organizations and governmental agencies.

We know that the school system plays a huge role and has a large stake in the health of the community. In Niles, we want to continue to foster this relationship and continue to grow with the community toward a bright future.

The majority of our children enter our schools healthy, ready and eager to learn. This is a testament to the parents and service agencies that helped support the students when they were young. We know that additional supports are necessary and available through local organizations for families who may need assistance prior to a child’s educational career. To that end, while partnering with one local organization, we were able to make sure more than 100 kindergarteners were properly immunized and ready to start school in September.

Even after school began, many community organizations have continued to partner with us by providing essential services to our youth to be sure they remain healthy and in school during every valued minute of class time.

With all the support these partnerships offer, it is incumbent on us — the entire school community — to help students recognize how they are connected to the community and impress upon them that they have a role to play in its long-term health. While we will work with students as they take on more responsibility for their own learning in the classroom, you should expect to see more students out in the community providing critical services to local residents and organizations. Within the last few weeks, students at various schools including Ballard Elementary, Oak Manor and Niles High School participated in a Day of Action through United Way helping with yard maintenance for those who could not do so themselves.

All of these partnerships help us wrap our arms around the children of the community, offering them abundant opportunities to grow intellectually, socially and personally. Our school district has been working hard to tighten its financial belt while maintaining important instructional programs and a high quality staff. By partnering with local organizations, we are able to offer many more opportunities than if we acted in isolation.

We need to ensure our children attend school regularly and the community remains engaged in their activities and learning. We need to do our part by keeping an open line of communication with parents and other community members and act as a resource when needed. To do this, we must continue to be inviting and openly express our willingness and desire to work with parents so we can all act in the best interest of our community’s children.

Whether you are a parent, business, or community member, we encourage you to get involved with our children. If you can volunteer your time or resources, please contact our volunteer coordinator, Darla Schneider at darla.schneider@nilesschools.org, or visit the district’s website at www.nileschools.org and locate the “Volunteer” tab.

We truly believe in partnering with the community and we will work hard to play our role in supporting the growth of our children and strengthening Niles Community Schools. Thank you again for your commitment to Niles Community Schools and for serving as our partner in the education of the community’s children.

 

Dan Applegate is the superintendent of Niles Community Schools. He can be reached at (269) 683-0732.