December means the arts at Westland! From the student play - Cinderstein - to the instrumental music and choral concerts, there's something for everyone. All of these events are great occasions to celebrate Westland students' accomplishments, and I encourage you to attend as many as possible.

December also means the start of the MCPS operating budget cycle. On Wednesday, Dec. 15th, Superintendent Weast will present his FY 2012 Operating Budget at 7:30pm at Richard Montgomery High School. This is the first step in a several-month-long process in which Westland parents will need to be actively involved. It's no secret - money is tight, and based on recent news reports, it's getting even tighter. Westland's PTA plans to advocate forcefully to help Westland retain its share of an ever-shrinking pie. We'll be sending out notices and reminders of key dates, but please take note and participate - we will need lots of voices!

The budget involves the short-term; for the longer term, the search for a new superintendent will have far reaching implications for MCPS students. The process began back in September, and there will be a public meeting in late January to review the status of the search. Stay tuned for more info!

Finally, December means the start of winter weather. I just returned from Cincinnati where we got a little taste of what's to come; 4 inches of snow Saturday! Yikes!