Fall - Johnston Community School District

In Touch
The Connection
2 Fall 2011
Clay Guthmiller
Superintendent of Schools
cguthmiller@johnston.k12.ia.us
The
Connection
Together everybody accomplishes more
The The Connection newsletter is for published the residents four of times the Johnston per year. Community Please note School that the District
newsletter is now labeled as Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall instead of
January, March, May and August.
It is an exciting time as students and
school staff prepare for the new school year.
Despite numerous challenges facing the
district, we anticipate our students having
another very productive year. The Johnston
School community has come to expect
nothing less than a quality educational
experience for each and every child. We
have every intention of providing success
for all students.
Johnston Schools continue to be
recognized as one of the highest achieving
districts in the metro and state of Iowa. It is
rewarding to see the accomplishments of so
many outstanding students and staff. There
are a multitude of good things that have
occurred inside and out of the classroom in
our district. Through the district’s focus on
continuous improvement, our schools are
positioned to meet the future learning needs
of each and every student.
While the district has experienced
much success, there is still ample room
for improvement. Expectations for the
success of our students has never been
higher. Through shared commitment,
thoughtful planning and by developing a
strong accountability system we believe
our community can continue to improve
the educational programs offered by the
Johnston Community School District.
Our staff is committed to developing and
revising our instructional methods to better
meet the individual learning needs of all
students. We recognize that your children
are our most important possession, and we
will treat them as such. We also understand
the role parents play in the educational
success of their children and the need
for active partnership between home and
school.
As we face these challenging times in
education, it remains essential that we
focus on effective communication with our
various stakeholders. To that end, we will
be undertaking a process this year to review
the district’s strategic plan. The Board of
Education, staff, parents and district patrons
will all be called upon to participate in
this most important matter. The district
will be conducting conversations with the
community this fall, which will be centered
around a series of focused questions.
The development and implementation of
the district’s strategic plan establishes a
blueprint for future school improvement.
Look for more specific information this fall
on how you can participate in the renewal
of the district’s strategic planning process.
I believe strongly that every employee,
every parent and every community member
has a function in the greater purpose of
helping all of our students achieve. As
I begin my sixth year as superintendent,
I want to stress to you the importance of
having effective teachers. I believe each
of us has an obligation to do whatever
we can to support, encourage and further
develop our teachers because no matter
what we strive for as a community, the
magic happens each day in the district’s
classrooms. Our goal is to become a true
professional learning community, where
we are working collaboratively to create a
vibrant future for our district.
We welcome any suggestions, ideas,
concerns and opinions you might have on
how we can make the Johnston Community
School District a more effective place for
our students. We look forward to another
great year in 2011-2012.
Please send news to:
news@johnston.k12.ia.us
Dawn Kasotia
District Communications Coordinator
Johnston Community School District
P.O. Box 10
Johnston, IA 50131
Archives: Past issues of the district newsletter can be found on the district
Web site at www.johnston.k12.ia.us/communications/theconnection.
Board of Education
Tracey Orman, President
Julie Walter, Vice-President
Marci Cordaro
John Dutcher, APR
Mike Farrell
Jackie Heiser
Jill Morrill
Administrative Resource Center (ARC)
5608 Merle Hay Road
P.O. Box 10
Johnston, IA 50131
515-278-0470
www.johnston.k12.ia.us
Administration
Clay Guthmiller, Superintendent
Jim Casey, Human Resources Associate Superintendent
Bruce Amendt, Academic Services Executive Director
Janice Miller-Hook, Financial Services Executive Director
Gary Ross, Activities & Athletics Director
Barb Rankin, Behavioral Programs Director & Y-Home Associate
Principal
Tim Kline, Buildings & Grounds Director
Nancy Buryanek, Johnston Community Education Director
Vickie McCool, Special Education Director
Tony Sparks, Technology Services Director
Mike Volz, Transportation Director
School Principals
Eric Toot, Beaver Creek Elementary
Tim Salmon, Horizon Elementary
Brent Riessen, Johnston High School
Brian Carico, Johnston Middle School
Trisha Lenarz-Garmoe, Lawson Elementary
Linda Hansen, Summit Middle School
Cheryl Henkenius, Timber Ridge Elementary
Suzie Pearson, Wallace Elementary
Schools
Beaver Creek Elementary, 278-6228
Horizon Elementary, 986-1121
Johnston High School, 278-0449
Johnston Middle School, 278-0476
Lawson Elementary, 278-0478
Summit Middle School, 986-0318
Timber Ridge Elementary, 331-4379
Wallace Elementary, 278-6977
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
It is the policy of the Johnston Community School District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender
identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices.
There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to
this policy please contact the district’s Equity Coordinator, Dr. James Casey, Associate Superintendent, 5608 Merle Hay Road,
Johnston, Iowa 50131, (515) 278-0470, jcasey@johnston.k12.ia.us.
MISSION
The Johnston Community School District’s mission is to prepare
our community of learners for a changing world by providing the
knowledge and skills necessary to be responsible, contributing
citizens committed to excellence.
www.johnston.k12.ia.us/communications/theconnection