What's Up Doc? Partnerships Critical For Schools

 

 

By Randall Freeman, PHD

“It takes a village to raise a child.”

Oh, so true. Today, this saying should be expanded to state “It takes a community to educate a child.” In Menifee, this has proven to be so true. Our new community partner, Jersey Mike’s Subs, partnered with Callie Kirkpatrick Elementary School to raise over $1,500 for that school. This is not at all unusual; in fact, this type of partnership is business as usual for Menifee and the Menifee Union School District.

There are so many community businesses in Menifee that partner with MUSD, it would be unfair to list some and miss mentioning others. Much of the success for our school district of almost 9,500 students (kindergarten through 8th grade) has to be attributed to these critical community partnerships providing resources that would be otherwise unavailable to the children.

Every school board meeting, a list of donations is shared with the audience and board prior to being officially accepted. Every meeting, we acknowledge the generosity of our community partners. It is truly amazing.

The Menifee USD employs a very special person who reaches out to the Menifee business community and works with them to provide these critical resources for our children. Our Public Information Officer, Ms. Betti Cadmus regularly and tirelessly works with our community partners to provide resources for special projects, trips, programs, and the classroom.

As a parent of daughters enrolled in MUSD, as a school board member, as the spouse of a Menifee USD teacher, I cannot fathom how MUSD would be capable of building and maintaining these very important community relationships without the work that Betti does for MUSD and the City of Menifee. Were she ever to run for political office, I would be facing a very difficult choice – would I vote for her because I would be assured of a great political partner, or would I vote against her because of my fear that MUSD would lose an invaluable employee? I don’t know the answer to that question.

Thank you, Betti Cadmus.

Randy Freeman and his family have lived in Menifee since 1993. Randy teaches kindergarten in Perris and his wife Karen teaches first grade here in Menifee at Freedom Crest Elementary School. They are the parents of four daughters: Daniela, 17, and 13-year-old triplets Sarah, Holly, and Megan. Randy earned his PhD in early childhood education in 2011 and has served on the Menifee Union School Board since 2008. As he explains it, this makes him Karen's boss for the first and only time in the marriage. His column will appear here every other Tuesday.