Welcome to the Antietam School District’s new website, where you will be able to find many relevant resources for you and your children related to our district. As superintendent, I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve the needs of your children as well as the Antietam school community. Leading a school district and preparing students for the incredible challenges of the 21st century are among the most challenging (and vitally important) functions in America today.  Leaders are required to have a deep knowledge base about the practice of education and the adaptability to adjust to the constantly changing needs in business, industry, higher education and the armed forces. 

Our mission statement, “Antietam’s Commitment: A community partnership pledged to lifetime achievement”, remains a crucial guidepost for the administration, staff and teachers, and is the cornerstone of our daily activities. It is our responsibility to nurture, educate and challenge students to become lifelong learners, while making their way beyond our schools with knowledge, compassion and a desire to serve the global community. The Antietam School District provides for a student-centered learning environment in which students are taught to be problem solvers, informed decision makers, and collaborative learners. All students in our district have access to current technology that enables them to explore and deepen knowledge and understanding. In this exciting environment, access to information and close communication with others become unlimited. Our goal is to provide an outstanding education through which all of our students can achieve academic excellence.

To be effective in reaching our objective, parental involvement remains key to successfully providing the framework for a quality educational program in our schools.  Research has consistently demonstrated that students with involved parents are more likely to earn higher grades and enroll in higher-level programs, regardless of family income. These students are also more likely to attend school regularly, advance to the next grade, graduate, and move on to post-secondary education. First and foremost, parents can directly support their children’s education by seeing that students arrive to school ready to learn. We call upon parents as partners to ensure that students are well rested, to verify that homework assignments are completed, and that reading and other learning activities are encouraged at home.

I welcome your comments, suggestions and feedback as we continue to work to serve the needs of each of our students. You can reach me at 610-779-0554, ext. 119 or by e-mail, lmayes@antietamsd.org. Please accept my very best wishes for good health and happiness during this summer and the upcoming 2009-10 school year.

Larry W. Mayes, Ed.D