The Meridian Star invited some community leaders to write about their top three priorities for 2018. Today’s column is from Randy Hodges, superintendent of the Lauderdale County School District.

Lauderdale County School District, a “B” level district, is one of the top performing school districts in the state. This achievement does not come without the hard work and support of teachers, administrators, support staff, students, parents and community members.

As we look toward 2018, we reflect on three major areas we as a district want to improve, as the students we serve continue to be the focus of all decisions we make.

1) Lauderdale County School District will continue to improve the academic performance of all students. Our goals include increasing proficiency levels for all subgroups, closing the achivement gap between general education and special education, and continuing to improve ACT scores. We will continue to push toward meeting the national benchmarks.

2) Lauderdale County School District will continue to work on improving the graduation rate at each of our high schools. Although we are seeing great improvements, we want allof our schools to be above 95%. Through the implementation of evidenced-based interventions and safety nets, we will ensure all students have every available opportunity for success. We also understand the importance of school culture and building relationships with students as vital to achieving this goal.

3) Lauderdale County School District will strengthen partnerships with local business and industry to ensure all students exit our district college and/or career ready. Our Career and Technical Programs are essential in helping to achive this goal. We will continue to seek ways to provide more course offerings and partner with community organizations to assist with resources and providing students real-world experiences.

Lauderdale County School District is a great district. It is our mission to instill in all students a desire to learn, grow and succeed. The future is bright in Lauderdale County Schools. We are excited about what lies ahead for us.