Dear Greater Eureka resident,

Eureka City Schools is off to a great start in the 2003-04 school year. Although our enrollment is down from last year, it did come in as projected. Our students returned to us refreshed from a summer of learning, fun, and family. Our teachers came back to the classroom rested and prepared to deliver an excellent educational program.

The summer saw several facility improvement projects begin to take shape. Bond proceeds from Measures S and T approved in the March 2002 election will improve the safety and learning environment in our schools. Projects during the summer included the first phase of the Lafayette Elementary School Master Facility Plan. A new kindergarten complex is being developed with the addition of two beautiful kindergarten classrooms. The existing kindergarten classroom will be modernized and renovated along with other Lafayette classrooms. The master plan will also see a new classroom wing that will include a library media center. The office will be expanded to accommodate the steady stream of Lafayette parents and volunteers. In addition, breezeways will be improved and/or added while windows are replaced in many older classrooms. Lafayette will be a busy place over the next few years.

A new classroom was added at Washington Elementary School. Plans also call for new construction to expand the kindergarten complex. We will create a more visible entrance to the school and expand the capacity of the office area to accommodate parents and professional staff.

Lincoln Elementary School’s exterior siding was replaced on the walls facing Harris and Pine Street. This project will be continued next summer and fully completed when classroom windows are replaced and modernized. Additional projects completed during the summer included handicapped accessible bathroom remodeling at Zane Middle School, a roof replacement at the district corporation yard, and a new metal roof on Lafayette Elementary School’s multi-purpose room.

Staff and architects are in the process of developing master facility plans at the remaining elementary schools as well as the middle and high school campuses. We are eagerly anticipating the beginning of the construction phase of the multi-purpose room at Winship Middle School. This 7,000 square foot complex will not only provide a nice eating area for Winship students, but will also become a performance hall for the school as well as a community center.

The Eureka High School Master Facility Plan is being developed by staff and architects. This plan will include the seismic and modernization requirements of the school. It will also try to maximize the use of limited space for students in creating more of an open quad area in the center of campus.

The Citizens’ Oversight Committee has been meeting regularly and working well with district staff and the project manager. The Committee will be meeting its legal requirements to report to the community in the next few months. I want to thank and congratulate these nine community members who volunteer their time for this worthy endeavor. The Citizens’ Oversight Committee includes Melinda Ciarabellini, Marge Custis, Larona Farnum, Bob Marino, Kurt Kramer, Fred Nelson, Susan Seaman, Liana Simpson, and Ken Skaggs.

We will continue to update the community on project development. Information is updated frequently on our Web Site: www.eurekacityschools.org.

The months ahead will be exciting times for the city schools and Eureka community as we move forward with these important facility improvement projects. On behalf of the Eureka City Schools Governing Board, thank you for the support.

Sincerely,

James W. Scott, Ed.D.

Superintendent