Editor:

At 6 p.m. on this past Friday, the 13th of April, the Byron Union School District came to realize just how very lucky we are, indeed.

As rain poured over the Bay Area and hail even pummeled the ground, we watched as the clouds parted and opened above our Excelsior Middle School campus, streaming down rays of sunshine as if a spotlight under which we raised our nation’s flag, the inaugural such raising for our new flag pole, constructed with Measure C Bond monies.

While 200 of the Byron and Discovery Bay community looked on, the Excelsior Choir sang our national anthem to begin an evening of dedication, celebration and recognition for our school district, our staff, our families and our community. We are quite pleased and proud of what our community allowed for us to build with this bond measure, for our children today, and which we dedicate to all of our children in the future.

On this night our community came to support and celebrate with our district, not only the work of completed construction projects but the work and success of our students and our schools themselves.

All three of our district’s schools have experienced dramatic API growth over the past few years, and just over the past few weeks, both of our elementary schools were honored to have been named as California Distinguished Schools.

I would like to thank and recognize our California State Superintendent, Mr. Tom Torlaksen, for joining us at our dedication and for the kind words he shared with our district family there gathered, along with Mr. Bubba Paris for his motivational message and for their combined efforts to bring healthy awareness and alternatives to school children’s meals, and for their gift of a salad bar for our new cafeteria!

I would also like to thank Contra Costa County Superintendent Dr. Joe Ovick for joining us, State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier’s and Assembly Member Joan Buchanan’s offices for a special commendation recognizing our district, as well as the numerous former board members, community leaders, our families and, of course, Byron USD teachers and staff, who all contributed to mark such a special evening for our district.

I would like to especially thank Bob and Darlene Meeckes, the proprietors of the Discovery Bay Sports Bar and Steakhouse, for their generous donation and service of delicious food for all in our community who attended; Ryan and Lisa Hodgson, dear friends who contributed in ways big and small to help with the evening’s event; Kelly Basmagian for her work to help plan and coordinate; and Ashley Dicksa for her time and creativity.

Finally, I would like to thank my husband and family for all of their support throughout not only this event but my time on the board, not to mention through the past 18 years of our marriage and family and all that life has brought our way! My heart is full; my cup is running over.

Jill Sprenkel

Byron Union School District

Board of Trustees