Dr. Thurman's Back To School Video Message

It is a great honor for me to welcome back new and returning students and teachers to what will be another incredible school year.

I'm honored to begin my 12th year as superintendent. Cabot continues to be one of the overall best and most sought after school districts in the state. That would not be possible without you – our parents – our community – and our administrators and teachers who are absolutely dedicated to making a positive and lasting difference in the lives of our students.

As we begin a new school year, protecting our students and staff continues to remain our highest priority. Last year, we implemented new security measures at every school in our district which included upgrading all our visitor management systems with door buzzers, microphones, cameras, office monitors, and locked entryways.

We also hired a new assistant director of safety and security and despite the millage not being successful, we are making every effort to move forward with implementing as many safety and security measures as possible as we prepare to open on August 13th. Though not at the level we had hoped, progress is still being made. 

We want you to stay connected with the school district. I highly encourage you to follow our district social media pages for the all of the latest district news. You can find Cabot Public School District on Facebook and @cabotsd on Twitter. 

Another great way to stay informed is our free Cabot Public Schools App. Nearly 12,000 people have already downloaded it. You can keep up-to-date on events, read the most current district news, pay your child's lunch account, check grades, find bus information, and receive important app notifications.

Now, as the first day of school approaches, Monday, August 13th, let's discuss traffic. It goes without saying, in all of our school zones, we need everyone to drive with care, with our full attention on the road and not distracted by mobile devices.

We do our best to load children in a timely manner in the afternoons, but we are not going to move quickly and sacrifice safety and security for speed, so we ask that you exercise great patience! 

I assure you that traffic flow gets better every day as students learn the procedures. Here is a good tip for the first few days…rather than arriving at school well in advance of dismissal time, you may want to consider arriving strategically after the bell to decrease the amount of time you spend waiting in line. We are not going to leave until every child gets home so it's going to be okay. 

If your child is a bus rider, keep in mind that it will arrive later in the afternoon than it did when school ended in May. We will run over 90 buses the first day of school and just as with car loading, we are going to focus on safety and not speed. Buses could run 45 minutes to an hour later the first few days of school, but it will get better every day. After the first few days, everything will be back to normal! 

So, whether you plan to drop off and pick up your child or use our transportation service, be prepared and be extra patient the first few days. Once again, it will get better each day and our administrators will remain at each location until all children have arrived home safely.

If you have any concerns with transportation, we will once again have our Transportation Call Center open through Wednesday of the first week of school. Staff will be ready and able to answer any questions. 

I know a new school year may have parents and students excited but also feeling nervous and anxious. I've been there. Here is my promise to you…we want your children to be successful and for that to happen, we must work together.  

If you have any issues at all, even if it's buying supplies or paying a fee for a specific class, please don't let that discourage you. Contact your school administrator, building counselor, or contact me, we are going to figure it out together. We want to make sure all our students have the same opportunities to learn and excel.

Also, if you have a concern, I know in this day and age, it's easy just to post your frustrations immediately on social media, but please call your administrator or call me, let us know about it and first give us a chance to work it out

In regard to social media, I sincerely ask that we reflect on how we interact with one another on our community pages. Believe it or not, our students are watching and they will mimic adult behaviors when interacting with their peers. We may say that we are "just kidding" or that "it's all in fun," but the bottom line is that if it is hurtful to another person in any way, it really just isn't necessary. Let's focus on modeling kindness and acceptance in our community and schools. 

Finally, thank you for trusting us with your children. If you have a question or concern that can't be addressed at the school level, do not hesitate to contact me. Remember, the years pass quickly and each and every one, whether you have a child in kindergarten or a senior, are very special in their own way. Let's work together to make great memories this school year! 

Go Panthers!

Dr. Tony Thurman
Superintendent, Cabot Public Schools