Pub. 3 2013-2014 Issue 1

4 CEO Message I recently saw a TV commercial from an estab- lished airline that used the tagline,“If it matters to you, it matters to us.”   I’m sure the phrase was focused grouped and tested to death but it struck me that, we, the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, believe the same thing.  If it matters to you, our charter school members, it matters to us.  Our priorities and focus come as a result of our member elected board of direc- tors, our member meetings, and our one-on-one conversations with you.  Each of you are different in your design and execution.  You have different philosophies and styles of teaching.  Your charter should matter.  Our goal is to support that by removing barriers and reports that hinder your ability to carry out your charter. If it will matter to you, it matters to us.  I believe you have asked us to try and predict the future.  There will be future legislative, public relations and regulatory challenges.  It is the nature of the world we live in.  We are con- stantly meeting and interacting with legislators, state school board members, charter board members, staff and others to understand, discuss and shape the future of public education and in particular the way charter schools fit in that puzzle.  What matters to you that we aren’t addressing?  We want to hear from you if there are things that matter to you that we aren’t addressing. Your opinion matters to us regardless of whether you are the smallest school or the largest or somewhere in between. Is there an area we aren’t focusing on that will help you better carry out your charter school? Is there a class you would like to see at the conference that will make it more appealing to you? If it matters to you, it matters to us.  Thank you for the work and effort you make on behalf of the children of the State of Utah.   Chris Bleak, CEO We want to hear from you if there are things that matter to you that we aren’t addressing. Your opinion matters to us regardless of whether you are the smallest school or the largest or somewhere in between.