A Message from Superintendent Jeff Butts

Just as a really great book has multiple chapters, each with their own story that builds upon the previous, so do our lives.  Chapter one is now complete.  It is time to begin chapter two...

As we begin 2012, I have now officially finished my first year as your Superintendent and what a year it was.  I believe there is a bit of fate and divine intervention in our life's journey.  I am very honored to have been placed in this position and to have had the opportunities to lead during the past 12 months that I have had.  I believe there were many positives that were realized this past year and many more to come.  For those, I am grateful.  

I want to share a couple items from the 2011 chapter that I believe are important for us all to know.  We ended the 2011 year fiscally ahead of where we predicted.  Each year as we develop the budget, we make several assumptions that lead to our budget predictions.  While many of those assumptions came true, several did not, which worked to our benefit.  In addition, we made several operational decisions that allowed us to be more fiscally responsible.  Even still, we spent down our cash reserves nearly 4 million dollars.  As we face the final years of the desegregation phase-out, continue to realize the revenue shortfall from the property tax caps, face an uncertain future with general fund revenues from the state, and watch the uncertainty of federally funded grant programs, it is not time to breath easy.  The debt currently owed on our facilities far exceeds the revenues we are receiving.  Our current debt is not scheduled to be paid off during most of our careers and will continue to be a drain on the general fund unless the state reverses the constitutional amendment on property tax caps or provides some sort of provisional relief.  A very unlikely possibility.  

Change is hard, there is no question about that.  And as you know, we have many more changes in the 2012 calendar year ahead of us.  I believe that these changes all present great possibilities for our district and an opportunity to continue to demonstrate why the M.S.D. of Wayne Township is a unique place to work and educate children.  A few opportunities that come to mind for me are: implementing the plan at Lynhurst, ensuring that no other schools need to have the "Lynhurst Plan", the modified calendar, redistricting implementation, the new teacher evaluation instrument, the new compensation model, contract negotiations under the new law, a resolution to our current lawsuit, curriculum revisions to meet the Common Core, preparation for the new PARCC, and making sure that we continue to serve every student that attends our schools in every way we are able.

I am not sure about you but it makes me weary just reading the list of opportunities we have in the next 12 months.  And that is not an exhaustive list as I know there are many more I could have mentioned.  I restate my pledge to you that I made a year ago, "We Are Wayne" is bigger than any one of us alone, especially me.  I have appreciate your support over the past year and embrace the challenge to continue to earn your respect, trust, and support in the future.  I know that great things can happen when we continue to work together and look forward to a very rewarding 2012.

We Are Wayne!!!

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