Message from the Superintendent

Dear Parents, Students, and Staff,

As I sit here at my desk in late August thinking about the many things we all need to do in order to prepare for the students to return to school for the 2021-2022 school year, I am comforted to know that all of us have the same mission….To provide and receive the best education possible!

As parents, it is so gratifying to see our student work hard in the classroom or in their extracurricular activities and see them grow as a person and become better prepared through their efforts. It is so important that we work together to ensure your child(ren) get the education they need to be successful as they navigate our districts and move towards their final destination of graduation and young adulthood. This past year and a half has been extremely taxing on you as you have been required to make sacrifices in order to ensure your child continued their educational journey by helping them navigate all the logistical items needed to learn remotely and maintain their academics in less than ideal conditions. Your resiliency, dedication, and commitment to your child is both noted and appreciated. As we continue to battle through this pandemic, I would ask that we remain patient as our situation continues to remain fluid and changes may have to occur as we receive data and information from the Federal Government, CDC, Department of Health, and the Department of Education. My hope is that we will see a return to normalcy this upcoming year. I would ask that we have open dialogue. Please feel free to be in contact with your student’s teachers and administrators as this line of communication can often correct any potential issues (behavioral or academic) before they become a significant issue that disrupts your child’s education.

Students will continue to re-acclimate to some sense of normalcy and stability through our schools. If you are a student reading this, please know that we truly care about your well-being and academic progression. Each of you are the reason we (teachers and administrators) got into this profession. We all want you to succeed and be the best that you can be. Your education is one of the most valuable things you work for in life. Please take the gift of education seriously as it can take you places that without it you may not achieve. Each day you arrive at school make a commitment to improve and become a little better than the day before. We understand that each of you learn a little differently than the other and we need to work with you to get the most out of you. Please meet us half way and give your very best effort as you continue to navigate your schooling.

Staff are the linchpin of education. Without your content knowledge, dedication, and commitment, education of our students would not be possible. It is understood that each of you put in long hours creating lessons that are creative, innovative, and inspire our students. As your Superintendent, I only ask that you give your best to the students that we serve. The profession you have chosen is one that can provide the greatest amount of satisfaction and permits you to see real growth before your eyes. It is certainly a powerful profession that allows you to be creative and inspiring to your students. I thank each of you for the professionalism and hard work you put in last year through extraordinary circumstances due to the pandemic. You truly were the difference between success and complete failure. You were asked to instruct in ways that were never done before, put in extra hours to prepare, and be flexible as we worked to provide the quality education, programming, and services our students need and deserve. I am eternally grateful for your efforts and appreciate your continued dedication and service to our districts.

In closing, as we begin this 2021-2022 school year I wish everyone much success and peace in their lives. I am hopeful that we will see a school year uninterrupted and will allow us all to get back some sense of normalcy and confidence that we can achieve all of our goals. None of us should take one day for granted as each day is a new tablet for our future.

Yours in Education,

John R. Swain
Superintendent
August 2021