Welcome to what I know will be another exciting and successful school year at Bunche Middle School!  It is through the efforts of all stakeholders that we have continued to make gains.   All stakeholders worked hard last year and those efforts came with noted accomplishments.  In fact, I have no reservations in stating that we will continue to make marked improvements and exceed the requirements for making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), for achieving the goals and objectives that are outlined in our School Balanced Scorecard, as well as for exceeding any other goals / targets.  With much success, much is expected. I know that we will continue to increase student achievement because the best students, parents, and staff in the Atlanta Public School System are a part of Ralph J. Bunche Middle School!

As we prepare for the 2011-2012 school year, I wanted to remind all families of specific school-wide / district wide policies that will continue to be strictly enforced in the coming school year.  I am requesting that all families continue to assist us in ensuring that the students adhere to the following policies on a daily basis:

• Uniform Policy-this is a mandatory requirement.

• Cell Phone / Electronic Devices Policy-these items are NOT permitted on campus. For your review, this policy (which includes fines and consequences) is located on the district’s website. 

We are truly excited as we have been designated by the state as a school making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); therefore, we have continued to be highlighted as a Title I Distinguished school for six consecutive years!  This great achievement is the product of a talented, professional, and hardworking staff and parents who understand that we are Making A Difference!

Increased student achievement is at the forefront of our goals for the 2011-2012 school year.  Specifically, it will be our mission to work diligently to increase the number of students who EXCEED the standards.  We have raised the bar and mediocrity is not an option!  By doing this, we will be able to state without reservations that through our efforts, the students at Bunche Middle School have received a firm educational foundation.  We will also be stating that we are making every effort to ensure that our students will be prepared for opportunities in post secondary education, be able to compete in this global market, and will continue to be life-long learners.

I an extremely proud of our accomplishments and look forward to an even greater school year as we are Making A Difference for each student!