Dear Parents and Community Members:

These are exciting days in the field of education, and I am pleased to be at the helm of one of the finest school districts in the state of Tennessee. With the advent of No Child Left Behind, Tennessee educators face unprecedented challenges. In Marion County, we view these challenges as opportunities.

While we are extremely proud of the things we have accomplished so far, we continue to keep academic improvement at the top of our priorities. We want every child to achieve, and we will not rest until all students have achieved mastery and beyond. To that end, we are concentrating much of our academic improvement efforts on early childhood education. Research supports these efforts, showing that early intervention in reading, language, and mathematics can prevent later learning difficulties. With the nation's attention turning to high school reform, the district is spotlighting secondary programs and practices, as well. We are also concentrating on improving the achievement of our students with disabilities. A determination to close the achievement gap for this group of students is fueling much of our professional development. It is one of our top priorities to increase student test scores for students with disabilities to improve our Annual Yearly Progress.

To assist in improving our reading programs, we are implementing a new countywide reading initiative, which will address the at-risk population. We will be hiring four Literacy Specialists to lead this initiative.

Besides student achievement, I personally wish to bring focus upon providing quality support services for students and families, keeping open communications with the community, adhering to data-driven decision making, and ensuring fiscal responsibility within the system. All of these elements together will ensure that our students have a school culture where they feel safe, welcome, respected, and able to learn.

Parents and members of the community are encouraged to visit our schools. The central office is open from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday for the convenience of the public. In addition to our central office staff, the school board, administrators, teachers and support personnel are committed to the concept of educational excellence in a safe, pleasant environment.

Mark A. Griffith Marion County Director of Schools