Summer Greetings,

I would like to take this opportunity to commend all United I.S.D. staff for concluding a safe and successful 2007-2008 school year. Our school year was filled with many activities and achievements. A great accomplishment is the improvement that was made by our District on the TAKS Assessments. Preliminary results indicate that United I.S.D. did extremely well. The District increased in numerous areas and we experienced extraordinary growth in the area of Science. I am confident that the District will continue to show gains this upcoming school year.

This past month, I was fortunate to take part in all four high school commencement ceremonies at the Laredo Entertainment Center. As I sat and listened to the valedictorian, salutatorian, and class president of each campus address the graduates and the audience, I noticed that they all made reference to a “special” staff member—someone who believed in them and offered support. Whether it was an elementary, middle, or high school teacher, a counselor, a sponsor, a food service employee, a bus driver, or school administrator—one of our staff members made a positive difference in the life of a student. Congratulations to all! In addition, I would like to take a moment to thank all employees who contributed to the Building a Foundation Program. This program awarded 123 graduating seniors $1,000 scholarships for assistance with college/university expenses.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all teachers and staff members who dedicate a portion of their summer vacation to assure that our students are academically prepared for the next school year. We currently have approximately 10,000 students enrolled in the District’s summer school program and we expect them to be successful.

In closing, I wish everyone an enjoyable and safe summer.

Best regards,

Roberto J. Santos