Stewart D. Roberson
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Friends:

          Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year! I hope the summer season provided everyone with time to rest, reflect and recharge for a new year. We are very pleased to begin the new school year with exciting news from the Virginia Department of Education that each of our schools and our school district met the 2008 benchmarks for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act. In addition, these preliminary reports indicate that, for the seventh consecutive year, 100 percent of our schools will be fully accredited as a result of the 2008 Standards of Learning assessments. Students, teachers, school leaders and the Hanover community can be very proud of this outstanding performance.

          We continue to take pride in the many accomplishments of our students and staff. We appreciate the hard work, commitment and professionalism that are reflected in awards, honors, and championships. However, we remind ourselves that each year is a fresh beginning with new challenges and fresh opportunities to grow and strive for new levels of excellence.

          The year is sure to be an exciting one for our school district as we open our twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth schools, Laurel Meadow Elementary and The Hanover Center for Trades and Technology. Laurel Meadow, located on Lee-Davis Road, is our fifteenth elementary school. Principal Karen Carpenter and her staff, along with other school leaders have worked hard this summer to get furniture, equipment and instructional material in place in preparation for the arrival of the students on September 2. The opening of The Hanover Center, located on Learning Lane, will mark the culmination of a 40-year community dream to provide trades-based programs in our county. We look forward to joining the celebrations of both of these schools.

           Two of our schools will celebrate milestone anniversaries this year. Lee-Davis High School will mark its 50th anniversary. South Anna Elementary will be 25 years old this year. Both schools are planning opportunities for the community to participate in the recognition of these school “birthdays.”

           The Hanover County Public Schools Citizens’ Academy, in its second year, will broaden our outreach to the Hanover community by providing citizens with an opportunity to learn how the school district operates from the perspectives of instruction, finance, human resources, and support services. We look forward to working with the 2008-2009 Citizens’ Academy participants.

           Safety will be a primary focus as we continue to refine and enhance our emergency responses in each of four phases: prevention, preparation, response and recovery. We are also pleased to have our emergency notification system, Connect-ED, in place this year which will allow school leaders to send personal telephone messages to parents across the county in a matter of minutes in the event of a crisis. You will be learning more about Connect-ED as the school year begins.

           We thank the Hanover County Board of Supervisors, the Hanover County School Board, and our community and business partners for their unwavering support of our schools. Our sincere appreciation also goes to our students, parents, teachers, and school leaders whose performance has placed Hanover among the top school districts in the region, state and nation. As we begin another year together, we welcome and encourage your continued involvement and enthusiasm. Best wishes for another successful school year!

Sincerely,

 

Stewart D. Roberson
Superintendent of Schools

 

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