While most of us are not ready to think beyond the warm days of summer, fall is just around the corner, and with it comes the first day of school. This is always an exciting time, and I am particularly looking forward to it this year in my role as the new MAPS superintendent.
There are many great things taking place in the district that I am committed to continuing, and new opportunities that will allow us to work together on behalf of our students and families.
Among the things that we will be implementing this year is a new reading series called “Reading Street,” which aims to improve reading comprehension across multiple grade levels. We’re also committed to supporting quality teaching through our new Educator Effectiveness evaluation systems. I will discuss these in greater detail during the school year.
This brings me to the three things that I stand for and that I’m sure you will hear me mention time and again: rigor, relevance, and efficiency.
By rigor, I mean continually raising the bar for what our students know and can do. Let’s face it-as the economy changes, our graduates’ knowledge and skills must be more competitive than ever before. Standing still and becoming complacent means falling behind.
By relevance, I mean continuously ensuring that the knowledge and skills the students gain are important-that they connect with and are applicable to real world needs and expectations.
By efficiency, I mean value for our money. As a district leader, I have a responsibility to make the most of every tax dollar that is invested in our schools; I take this job very seriously.
Since joining the district in early July, my family and I have had the pleasure of meeting parents, staff, and other community members, and we are so grateful for the warm welcome we have received. We have found that the excellent staff, the terrific families, and the community’s commitment to high-quality education make the Merrill Area Public Schools a wonderful district-one that I am extremely proud to be a part of.
I hope you will come to know me as someone who is approachable, fair, and reliable. The teachers and community members in my previous districts will tell you that I am always willing to listen to concerns and that I have an open door policy. I trust you will also find this to be true.
Thanks for the opportunity to serve you as your superintendent. Here’s to a great school year!