Dr. Nicholas Fischer
Superintendent
417 Rock Street
Fall River, MA 02720
508-675-8420 ext 404  

11/5/08

Yesterday was a day for an American celebration. No matter your political identification, we can all take special pride in the election of Barack Obama because it marks a very significant event in our country’s history. The day has very personal meaning to me. Forty three years ago a close friend lost her eye because her parents wanted to vote. She was a young teenager standing on her porch one night in Mississippi . A car drove by; someone in the car leaned out with a shotgun and shot at her. The spray of pellets destroyed her eye. In those days, the people who did this were called “nightriders.” Their entire intent was to intimidate African-Americans to keep them from voting. What a distance we have come in 43 years. What a country!

Nick Fischer

Good Morning,

First, I want to say thank you. You have been doing unbelievable work in very difficult times. Wednesday night the School Committee took the second of two steps to address $3.2 million dollars of a $4.1 million dollar deficit. Our next steps will be to first address $300,000 to get us to the$3.5 million dollar level and then talk with the City about how there remaining $600,000 will be addressed.

Many of you have heard me say that "crunching the numbers" is easy,addressing the pain caused by cutting people's positions is very hard. It goes without saying that in these very difficult times it is even more difficult to say to someone that their job is ending. We want to do all that we can to help people with transitions. It is easy to get into finger pointing and placing blame. Neither will help. The energy we have needs to be directed to serving the children and parents of Fall River.

I know that many of you have talked about the "cloud of uncertainty" hanging over the schools and your day to day lives. I wish I could say that all that we may need to do is done. With the state of the Commonwealth's economy the Governor may ask all cities, towns and school departments to make more cuts in the middle of the year. I can only say to you that I will tell you as soon as we know.

As I walk around the schools, I can't tell you how proud I am of the work I see going with children under challenging circumstances. I know that at three elementary level and elsewhere, many of you are working with larger class sizes than we would like. I know that across the system we are lacking support staff to share the load in serving children and parents.

I want to say that I deeply appreciate all that you are doing.

Sincerely,

Nick Fischer

Superintendent's Executive Office Staff

Teddi Pacheco
Administrative Assistant
tpacheco@fallriverschools.org
508-675-8420 X 405