A Message from the Superintendent
September 7, 2009
Mt. Diablo Unified School District
The first week of school is barely done, but there is much happening in your school district.
Superintendent Search
Leadership Associates will conduct an additional public forum on September 23 at 7 pm in the Board Room of the Dent Center, 1936 Carlotta Drive, Concord. Jim Brown will provide an update on the status of the search and solicit additional thoughts on the characteristics needed for Mt. Diablo. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the meeting.
President Obama Speech
The Mt. Diablo Unified School District supports the President’s address to students on the importance of education to be broadcast on September 8. Schools may show the speech either live or at a later time.
Mt. Diablo Board of Education Goes Green
Starting on September 22, 2009, the Mt. Diablo Unified School District will use a paperless solution for its School Board agenda. Due to the number of contracts and other related materials, the complete agenda is often over 100 pages in length. The printing of the multiple copies needed to run the meeting and copies requested by the public requires reams of paper for each of the two monthly meetings. With the new system, Electronic School Board, agendas will be produced using the school district’s computer network. In addition to savings in paper, there will also be savings in staff time and time spent on agenda printing, compilation, and distribution. The initial cost of the system was funded by savings generated by rebidding the district’s automated calling system. The new system, School Messenger, is less costly than the prior one. Over time, the electronic school board agenda will cost less than the paper method.
Starting September 18, interested community members will be able to access the entire public board agenda via the district’s web page, www.mdusd.org. The new system is much easier to use and has search features available for current and past agendas on the district’s web site.
During School Board meetings, each agenda item will be displayed on a projection screen in the Board Room to assist the audience. The new system will also display the results of each vote by the Board in real time.
In addition to saving natural resources and reducing operating costs, the school district hopes that the new system will improve communication with its community.
Northgate Lighting Project Environmental Impact Report
On October 6, we will be holding a special meeting of the Board of Education at Northgate High School to accept public input on the Environmental Impact Report for the addition of lights and permanent bleachers at Northgate. A copy of the Report is available on our website.
Dick Nicoll
Interim Superintendent