January Superintendent Update
Posted on 01/16/2026
January 2026
There is an expiration date on when you should no longer say "Happy New Year" but I don't know what it is, so let me be perhaps the last person to wish you a happy new year!
A new academic term is underway, our basketball seasons continue, and we are looking ahead to a three-day weekend to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. After Monday, our next break will be the Mid-Winter break the week of Presidents Day, February 16th.
January School Work Party
Join me on Saturday, January 24th for our next work party at school. There are tasks for any interest and skill level - inside and outside, skilled and unskilled, landscaping, cleaning, painting, light repairs. All are welcome! I will be at the elementary entrance at 10am to connect volunteers with tasks and if you arrive later, you'll just have to find me somewhere on campus!
LIFE Trail Renovations
If you are a fan of our LIFE Trail like me, you will be very excited to hear that Liz Scranton received a Heller Foundation grant to replace trail signs and replace or upgrade the exercise stations on the LIFE Trail! Looking forward to spring and summer work to get the LIFE Trail all fixed up.
Lopez College Advising Corps
I have mentioned this new endeavor before but have some updates! We have identified four experienced college advisors who will each take on one or two 11th graders this spring to provide supplemental remote college advising for students interested in exploring top-tier four-year college options. And just today we received a donation specifically to support the program and college visits for students. The goal is to make sure all interested students have access to personalized support from knowledgeable advisors and the opportunity to visit schools of interest regardless of ability to pay. We will be making this opportunity available to current 11th graders starting next month!
Fundraising
Our main partner organizations are all working hard to raise funds for the school. LIPTSA is preparing for the annual Talent Show on March 14th, The Pack is preparing for the annual Crab Feed on Valentine's Day, February 14th, and LIEF continues to have incredible success in cultivating new donors to reach their goal of $300k. Because of all this amazing work, I am optimistic that we will end this year with a positive fund balance which is a huge relief! However, it is important to remember that we also made significant cuts to the budget this year like not hiring for a Facilities Director, negotiating salary freezes, going without a Spanish teacher this year, cutting culinary and woodshop classes, no middle school sports funding and more. These cuts along with the projection of $300k in donations were necessary to propose a balanced budget for the 2025-26 school year. While our partners and the community are showing great financial support for the school in meeting that $300k goal, it does not restore these cuts.
Lopez Parks & Recreation District update
I, along with my four other commissioner colleagues, have been sworn in as a Parks and Rec Commissioner and Lopez Rec held our first monthly meeting last Friday. We calendared a Special Meeting for January 15th and hope to have a public comment policy approved in time for our February 5th meeting so we can hear from the community about next steps for Lopez Rec and options for a levy. All meetings are open, so please mark your calendar and join us on Thursday, February 5, 6 pm in the Lopez Library community meeting room.
LISD School Board
At the January 28th School Board Meeting, we will swear in our newest member, Kristi DePaul who will be serving out the remainder of Sarah Murphy's term. I am excited to get to work with our two returning and three new Board Members!
Thank you for your continued support for our wonderful school and hope to see you at the work party!
Brady