It is my honor to serve as the Superintendent of Merrill Area Public Schools! I am grateful for the support I have received from the staff and community. I know the challenges that exist but remain excited as I am surrounded by excellent people.
I am committed to the initiatives that were started during the 2015-16 school year. Our partnership with Discovery Education will benefit our students as they continue to utilize the onetoone technology they have been provided. Our teachers will grow as they discover the infinite and global opportunities technology can bring to their classroom. Discovery Education mentors will work directly with teachers to model technology uses with our students.
The district is also excited with the iPad Pro rollout to our ninth through twelfth graders this Fall. Once the high school rollout is complete, all students in kindergarten through twelfth grade will have the world at their fingertips.
This school year also marks the first time MAPS will engage in the instructional coach model. Kate Goodrich will be the first elementary building to benefit from receiving the instructional support and strategies offered by an instructional coach. Instructional coaches will be added to Jefferson and Washington as student enrollment increases.
Districtwide, we will remain focused on understanding our students and what motivates them through their personalized learning journey. EduCLIMBER will provide the student management platform by which we make datainformed decisions. Behaviorally, we will begin to understand our students by learning what it means to be trauma sensitive to our student population. We know that “one size does not fit all” and will continue to make decisions based on the individual needs of our students.
We are also looking forward to involving the community throughout the school year. Your input is greatly needed and valued. Please save the dates for Merrill’s first Community Conversation: Share our tradition. Share our pride. Share our future. The Merrill Area Public Schools, Board of Education and Design Team invite you to take part in our event being held Sept. 27, 5-9 p.m.; Sept. 28, 5-9:30 p.m.; and Sept. 29, 5-9:30 p.m. There is a three-night commitment to this event and dinner will be provided each night. The purpose of this event is to actively engage our community to develop a clear, shared vision that will address the evolving needs of our students’ future.
The outcomes of this event are to:
1. Define the issues and/or trends that are shaping our community and schools
2. Discover what our students need in order to be successful in the future
3. Identify key indicators to measure the success of the District
4. Strengthen our community and school district partnerships
We look forward to your participation as we are hoping to have 150 community members present. To RSVP for this event email [email protected] or call 715-536-4581, opt. 2.
While this school year will see change, the departure from the past we will experience is focused on improving the quality of education our students will receive. I anticipate a school year marked by growth and highlighted by success.
Thanks for the opportunity to serve you as your superintendent. I look forward to the positive difference we will make in the lives of our students!
Dr. John Sample
Proud Superintendent