Dear Canutillo Familia,
It is one of the most exciting times of the year for those of us connected to school districts. It’s back to school time! I am excited to welcome back our students and their parents to the start of the 2023-24 academic year and to start what I know will be the best year Canutillo has ever had. It’s so good to see you again!
The Board of Trustees this week attended the annual GRIT convocation and we were elated to see the smiling faces of our teachers who seem ready to start making a difference in the lives of our children. During the convocation we laughed, we danced and we had a ton of fun. But most importantly, we learned a lot about what it will take to make this school year the most magical one. We learned that despite our challenges and barriers, we can rise up and meet our goals.
To say that I walked away from the convocation feeling energized and hopeful for a wonderful school year is an understatement. I truly believe that we have the best teachers and employees in the county and that our dedication to our students continues to make us the best performing school district in the region.
I want to commend Dr. Galaviz and his staff for the work they did this summer to get schools ready for the first day of classes. I can’t wait to hear all the great stories and see the amazing photos and videos of our kiddos on their first day of school.
In other news, the Board of Trustees on Monday met in a special meeting to discuss two issues impacting our district: enrollment and attendance. Figures indicate that we continue to see many of the kids who live within our boundaries choose to attend school at campuses not in the Canutillo ISD. We also found out that attendance has been at an all time low following the pandemic-related closures. We need to make sure we are addressing all issues surrounding these two figures. It is our desire to see all of our Canutillo students enrolled in Canutillo schools. And once they’re in, we want to see them and our current students come to school every day.
To help us address that issue, the Board created the Marketing and Attendance Committee. The Committee will work alongside staff to review data, strategize and execute plans designed to increase enrollment in the District and decrease absenteeism among enrolled students.
Canutillo ISD continues to be in the fortunate position of growth, but we want to make sure that we capitalize on all the growth opportunities that are available to us. I look forward to working with this committee and sharing with the public some of the initiatives that will be used to achieve their goals. Stay tuned!
Again, I want to welcome back our students and teachers. Have a wonderful school year!
Patricia Mendoza
President
Canutillo ISD Board of Trustees