Holiday Greetings

At this time of year, it is a time to reflect, replenish and reconnect with family and friends while looking ahead.

As we celebrate this Holiday Season and the close of 2011, let us do so in the spirit of gratitude to the many volunteers, families, teachers, staff and administrators for the difference they make in the lives of children.

While there remains much work to do, we are making substantial progress on many fronts. It is up to each of us to work together on behalf of today's children and those for generations to come.

Thank you for your many contributions to our effort -- and so to all -- Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ray Allen - A Superstar On and Off the Court

It's not every day that an NBA player shows up unexpectedly at one of our schools to share an encouraging message with students. But that is exactly what happened last Friday when Ray Allen of The Celtics visited Glickman School.

Allen spoke with students about the importance of being a friend to others, helping friends when they are going through a difficult time, and not giving up when faced with challenges.

The unexpected visit was timed perfectly with Friday's Extreme Home Makeover program show, which focused on an anti-bullying message.

As I understand it, Ray Allen made the personal decision to visit Glickman School based on a friendship he has struck up with one of the students there, Charles Walker-Hoover.

I think it is admirable that Ray Allen has used his celebrity for such important causes and I am grateful that our students and teachers at Glickman were fortunate enough to be the beneficiaries.

SPS hat-trick leads to Sensational Superbowl!

As a former high school football player turned Superintendent of Schools, you best believe I am in my glory as three of our Springfield Public Schools football teams have landed themselves in the 2011 Superbowl! Congratulations to the football teams at the High School of Commerce, Putnam High School, and Central High School for making the Western Massachusetts Playoffs. Regardless of what occurs on those fields this Saturday, Springfield Public Schools is already a winner!

My wish for each and every player, coach, principal, parent, fan and supporter is that Saturday’s games bring excitement, spawn pride, and generate a renewed sense of school spirit. We’ll watch with bated breath as our students all do their best and we expect great things.

To you athletes, I say: Play hard, Be fair and Stay safe!

Division 1
Central High School vs. Longmeadow High School
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011
1:30 p.m.
Gillette Stadium
One Patriot Place
Foxborough, MA

Division II
High School of Commerce vs. Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical High School
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011
12:30 p.m.
Westfield State University
l577 Western Avenue
Westfield, MA

Just as important as the upcoming football games is the recognition that other SPS sports team recently received for Good Sportsmanship! The Western Massachusetts Soccer Officials Association recognized Commerce Girls and Sci-Tech/Renaissance Boys teams.

Also, both the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Western Massachusetts Field Hockey officials association recognized Central Girls!

It’s great to have talent on the field or court. However, it’s the values and morals that players exhibit, which ultimately define who they are as a team and as individuals.

I could not be prouder.

Recognizing and Defining Our Mission

Recently, we presented information to the School Committee on the progress of our Level 4 schools from the site visit monitoring reports prepared by School Works, an independent organization hired by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. While we still have much work to do in Springfield, the good news is the vast majority of our Level 4 schools are making satisfactory progress through the hard work of students, teachers, support staff, administrators and instructional leadership teams. In my view, the collective impact in our Level 4 schools goes beyond the boundaries of their individual schools and is worthy of recognition as a “mission moment.”

Mission moments are opportunities to share affirmations, reflections, encouragement or personal testimony about positive things happening in our school district. As superintendent, I’ve tried to include mission moments as a regular part of our senor leadership, principal and cabinet team meetings. It’s wonderful to hear staff share examples of their direct observations by capturing mission moments in their own words. Simply put, mission moments connect the district's vision, mission and core values with everyday occurrences.

As stakeholders in the school system, we all have a vested interest to take time to reflect upon and reinforce the vision, mission and values of the organization. This is particularly important in the midst of a national climate and culture of naysayers, critics and cynics.

So as we prepare to celebrate this Thanksgiving Holiday, let’s all commit to find time to give thanks to the countless number of educators who are making a difference in the lives of Springfield's students.

Best wishes to all for a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends!

Reading Success is a Goal Shared by Many

The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a long-term effort by foundations to improve third grade reading proficiency for all students and close the gap in reading achievement that separates many low-income students from their more affluent peers. This campaign strives to make grade-level reading proficiency by the end of third grade a national priority.

On Nov. 8, we heard from Ralph Smith, Managing Director for the Campaign for Grade Level Reading and Senior Vice President at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. He emphasized the key levers to improved student reading achievement as: kindergarten readiness, improved student attendance and summer learning opportunities.

Locally, there is much work underway through the "Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade," which has been spearheaded by the Davis Foundation and a host of collaborative partnerships. There are also a number of entities who have come together in working with the district to help address reading achievement through a series of strategies.

Some examples include: Hasbro Games’ summer learning initiative; WGBY’s summer reading program in five elementary schools; Regional Employment Board administration of a program at two Springfield Housing Authority sites funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation (Talk/Read/Succeed which is a placed-based program for children and families with a goal of children’s reading proficiency, parent education partnership and work force development programming); Ready! for Kindergarten (parenting education); Springfield Parent Academy; Springfield museums and libraries; the Springfield Education Association and SPS Collaboration for Change; and high quality early education care to help leverage school readiness across the city.

While there are plenty of challenges and opportunities, there is no shortage of commitment and a willingness to work together on the part of many, to help accelerate reading achievement for all students in Springfield.

Bad actions of a few shouldn't tarnish the whole

The revelations contained in the recent Putnam High School audit should outrage us all. There is no excuse for the disgraceful, dishonest practices that appeared to have run rampant among a group of employees at the school for several years. But we cannot allow the misconduct of a minority to overshadow the great work of the majority of teachers and other school staff and faculty who come to school at Putnam every day and do the right thing. Let’s be clear, the violators of our trust are much fewer in numbers than the honest employees at that school. In fact, I’m sure that none is more outraged over these revelations than they.

Arriving at the conclusions drawn in the audit report was a 13-month process. It’s important to recognize those whose hard work brought this issue to light. Principal Gil Traverso has earned my utmost respect for his courage in requesting an audit when he first suspected foul play. Mark Ianello (auditor), Ed Pikula (city solicitor) and TJ Plante (chief financial officer) and their respective teams are to be commended for sticking with it until the end without compromising the criminal investigation.

I would like to also recognize the entire staff, students and parents of Putnam High School who have had to endure unnecessary public scrutiny. As with any system failure of this magnitude, it is important to learn the lesson and ensure those responsible are held accountable. More than anything, I’d like to reassure you that Springfield Public Schools has already taken many steps (including a Corrective Actions Plan) to shore up the financial short-comings at Putnam so that nothing like this can happen again.

Audits challenge us to do better

The recent audit conducted by the National Council on Teacher Quality was an exercise entered into collaboratively with an understanding that the study would provide Springfield Public Schools with an honest look at practices such as recruiting, hiring, evaluations and compensation.

The results of the study have given us pause to better understand our strengths and opportunities for improvement. I was disappointed by the coverage of the report as it appeared in The Republican. Instead of focusing on the value of the lessons learned from the report and how its findings will help us drive improvements, it focused on the negative, in my opinion. Please know that if we felt there was no room for improvement, an audit would not have been necessary at all.

While we may not be able to adopt every recommendation made in the report, it certainly does provide us with an objective view and our labor-management team is committed to moving beyond the status quo... That, to me, is good news.

Springfield runs/walks/builds for a great cause

The good work of Sirdeaner Walker in her efforts to bring greater awareness to dangers of bullying was not lost on the many, many supporters who showed up in droves on Saturday morning to participate in The Carl J. Walker-Hoover Foundation’s
2nd Annual Anti-Bullying Back-to-School Road Race/Walk.

A spirit of positivity and purpose permeated the air that morning with everyone unified in their commitment to stand against bullying.

It was an honor to serve as a co-chairman of this inspiring event. It was a busy week for so many of the volunteers involved with the “Extreme Makeover” project, which has benefited the Walker family with a brand new house. And the Road Race on Saturday was a perfect build-up to the culminating “Move that Bus” event on Sunday!

Springfield, once again, displayed its one-of-a-kind sense of community and caring to a deserving family and cause.

Renaissance gets personal with Gov. Patrick

When Gov. Deval Patrick was in seventh grade, his mother and grandmother were among his greatest influences. How do I know that you wonder? Because it’s information he shared during his visit with a seventh grade class at The Springfield Renaissance School today.

The Governor sat in on a class that was in session and one that happened to be having a group discussion about the influence of media, friends and family. He also participated in a discussion with students about the influence they believe their school has had on their lives and their futures. It was clear that every student appreciated the education they were receiving yet they were not shy about honestly discussing opportunities for improvement.

Gov. Patrick also spent time with some of Renaissance’s high school students and had meaningful interactions about their college aspirations, hopes and dreams. In an offer of encouragement and real life examples of what it means to persevere, he shared with students about his own background in being raised by a single parent mother and his grandparents on the South Side of Chicago, personal difficulties with standardized test and challenges in passing the California bar exam following Harvard Law school.

In the end, Renaissance students have a personal example of how hard work, perseverance and a positive attitude can pay off in their lives—“demography is not destiny.”

I could not have been more proud as I observed the Governor interacting with our students, who were bright, articulate, thoughtful, intelligent and confident. The great work of all our teachers, administrators and school staffs are evident in so many ways and shined brightly at Renaissance today.

Enjoy the long weekend

“All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” That well known quote is extremely fitting as we pause as a school district to observe Labor Day this weekend. I wish everyone a relaxing, joyful and safe holiday weekend.

Happy New (School) Year!

The start of a new school year is an exciting time, especially for Springfield Public Schools where we are always focused on improvement. Our school year may get off to a delayed start this year because of Hurricane Irene, but it is brimming with promise and exciting developments. This year, we open a new middle school, reducing the student enrollment at three other schools; renovations to the Forest Park Middle School are underway; our magnet school offerings have expanded; and we move into the second year of our Springfield Improvement Framework. As Springfield Public Schools continues in our aggressive pursuit for a culture of educational excellence, I wish everyone a successful 2011-2012 school year and thank you in advance for your commitment and dedication to our students. Let’s work together to make it a great year!

Changes Forthcoming in Educator Evaluations

Recent changes in the State’s framework for educator evaluations will have a profound impact in helping to improve the capacity of our classroom teachers, principals and other administrators across our system.

The impetus for Massachusetts’ new Educator Evaluation System was the award of the U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top (RTTT) Grant which has resulted in enhanced labor-management collaborations at the state and local level, changes in State education legislation and regulations to support aligning educator evaluations with accountability.

As part of an overarching performance management system, educator evaluations serve to provide quality assurance, continuous improvement and professional learning that impacts student achievement.

It is important to note that the evidence for evaluating educators in the new framework involves multiple measures to include student outcomes on MCAS achievement and growth, observations and products of practice, and other evidence like feedback from students, parents and staff to provide a more holistic assessment of one’s performance.

The statewide standards for teachers include curriculum planning and assessment, teaching all students, family and community engagement and professional culture; for principals (and other administrators) the standards include instructional leadership, management and operations, family and community partnerships and professional culture.

Other key design features include expectations for creating aligned professional goals between individual -> teams -> school/dept -> district. The evaluation cycle in Springfield will also change from a two-step cycle to a five-step cycle that involves: self-reflection and self-assessment, initial goal setting and plan development (4 types for all educators that is differentiated), plan implementation, formative and summative evaluations.

While there is still much more work to be done, the educator evaluation changes in Massachusetts will be rolled out in a phased approach starting with the 2011-12 school year at all Level 4 schools, statewide for RTTT districts in 2012-13 and remaining districts in 2013-14.

For more information on the regulations, please see the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr35.html.

Week provides invaluable lessons for senior team

This past week members of my senior team and I participated in the Harvard Institute for School Leadership and Large-Scale Improvement. It was an intense week of study and a great investment of time to strengthen our capacity for the work here in Springfield to transform our schools. Other participants in the institute included educators from South Africa, Australia, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware and Kentucky.

The week was filled with learning experiences to help improve instructional practice, our understanding of the instructional core (i.e., teachers, students and content) through alignment and implementation efforts for maximum impact, and ensuring equity for “All” students through an emphasis on better student outcomes. There was also dedicated time for us to work as a team on a problem of practice specific to our work in Springfield.

In addition to the readings, case studies and rich discussions with some of Harvard’s outstanding faculty, we also had the opportunity to learn new insights from high performing school districts like Baltimore, Montgomery County, MD and Bellevue, WA. The week was also affirming with respect to our plans for system-wide improvement across the district. We recognize we have a long way to go but it is reassuring to know we are on the right track.

My hope was that we would come away from this experience with a greater understanding of the right work to transform our schools and be stronger as a team. We certainly got that and so much more!

Schools supported...

None other than Bill Cosby himself showed up recently at Harris School to help spread laughter and gain some insight as to how the tornadoes on June 1st impacted our school district, school leaders and children. The visit was a whirlwind with Dr. Cosby starting off in the principal’s office and finishing with a quick stop in a kindergarten room. Dr. Cosby preferred his visit to be low key, choosing to spend his time talking with teachers and students as opposed to filling media requests for interviews. His visit typifies the kind of quiet and unsolicited support our school district has received over the past three weeks – from celebrities like Bill Cosby and businesses to caring adults taking up collections and students helping other students. Schools closed this week and despite the challenges of the year (we lost seven instructional days due to snow, ice and tornadoes) we end the year filled with optimism, a hopeful spirit and a clear sense of direction. I wish everyone a joy-filled summer and look forward to opening the school year in August.

And again, thanks to everyone for your support!

Springfield’s spirit triumphs adversity

It was one week ago today that the tornado devastated our city, leaving in its path massive damage and destruction. The repair of Springfield Public Schools has remained a priority for state officials. Governor Deval Patrick, State Treasurer Steve Grossman and the Massachusetts School Building Authority have all made meaningful visits to our most damaged schools. The continued commitment of these offices will be instrumental in the revitalization of our schools.

There is no escaping the devastation, but what stands out to me is the sense of community and spirit of helpfulness that has become commonplace throughout our school district and our City.

Like rays of sunlight poking through the clouds, the community’s resolve shines bright.

It was pure teamwork, for example, that allowed for the smooth absorption of two schools into three this week after the storm left Dryden and Brookings schools uninhabitable. The School District was pleased to partner with Sodexo Food Services in the hours and days following the storm to help feed displaced families. There are hundreds of stories of Springfield neighbor helping Springfield neighbor over the past week that will never be told yet they say so much about our community. As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

A new drummer can energize an old beat

This week, students at five schools had the opportunity to hear real stories of success, hope, and most importantly, the importance of staying in school and giving 100 percent every day.

Guest speakers were US Marshal John Gibbons and ESPN reporters Jay Harris and Sage Steele. Gibbons visited the High School of Commerce, SAFE High School and Putnam while Harris and Sage spoke with students at Kennedy and Renaissance.

Each presentation was a result of the individual desire of the speakers to address Springfield Public School students with a personal, important message that would help us advance towards our vision for educational excellence. They reached out to us. We are grateful that they took the time to come and visit with our children.

Every day, our students hear about the importance of making the most of their education. But sometimes, hearing the same message from the same messengers can become a little monotonous. That’s why school visits like the ones we had this week from our esteemed guests are so powerful.

Certainly, Gibbons, Harris and Sage join a long list of honorable guests who have shared their stories and inspirational messages with our students. We are grateful to all of them and hope to continue to have many more.

The Springfield Renaissance School among the nation’s best

Let’s hear it for The Springfield Renaissance School! The Magnet Schools of America (MSA) organization has honored the school as one of the top magnet schools in the United States. The MSA will bestow its highest merit award, “The School of Excellence Award” upon Principal Dr. Stephen Mahoney during a national conference taking place in Indianapolis next week. The School of Excellence Award is based on a school’s commitment to high academic standards, curriculum innovation, successful diversity efforts, and the consistent delivery of high quality education to students.

Please join me in congratulating the entire student body, staff and principal of The Springfield Renaissance School for this prestigious recognition.

Students, teachers represent what’s best about school

Without doubt, the absolute best part of my job is getting into schools to see our teachers and students in action. It motivates and inspires me to peek into a classroom and see hands in the air, backs straight, and eyes glued on the teacher. That’s exactly what I found when I walked into the third grade classroom of Mrs. Robin Fowlkes at Freedman Elementary School recently. It was clear to see that an atmosphere of mutual respect permeated the classroom, and indeed the school. Mrs. Fowlkes’ students were engaged and eagerly showed off their knowledge about the works of Charles Dickens. It was the same level of engagement, respect and energy in Ms. Laura Rita’s third grade math class. It was a proud moment for me, the teachers, the principal, and most importantly the students. As we approach the last leg of this school year, I want to encourage all of the teachers to keep up their levels of enthusiasm for your students. They are like sponges, taking it all in.

Breakfast fills belly and heart with joy

I love pancakes but this weekend my favorite breakfast fare tasted sweeter than usual when I stopped by Duggan Middle School for the school’s pancake breakfast. The special treat of the day was the maple syrup that I slathered on my short stack. It was syrup that Duggan students had made themselves – starting from the sap collection process – as part of a hands’ on science learning project. It was wonderful to see the sense of pride and accomplishment on the faces of students as hungry patrons slathered their maple syrup onto steaming hot pancakes. The budget season is in full swing here at Springfield Public Schools and every day I confront the harsh realities of the costs of education materials, salaries, keeping up with technology, and so many other critical components of education. But at Duggan School on Saturday, I was reminded that sometimes the best teaching and learning doesn’t cost big bucks but takes little more than creativity, commitment and getting your hands dirty.

Students show SKILLS

Every day, in every school there are many students who make Springfield Public Schools proud. They are hard working students who come to school every day and give it all they’ve got.

Recently, some 50 such students from Putnam Vocational-Technical High School attended the SkillsUSA district conference in North Adams, Massachusetts. But our students did much more than simply attend the event; they shined and represented our school district very well. Our students brought back home six gold medals, two silver medals and four bronze medals. SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled services. Putnam students earned the medals for their knowledge and skill in the areas of sheet metal, internet working, computer applications, preschool teaching, health care, culinary arts, technology and carpentry. The gold and silver winners will go on to represent our school district at the state level in April.

Congratulations to our Putnam winners. They are but an example of our many committed, talented and driven students.

Grants provide promise for schools while payroll error impacts teachers

This week has brought good news and bad news. The good news is worth celebrating. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) this week awarded Springfield Public Schools more than $11 million to implement redesign plans the district has made for rapid student improvement at Zanetti, Brightwood, Chestnut, Brookings, Gerena, Homer, Kennedy and White Street schools. This follows DESE’s awarding Kiley Middle School a $2 million grant earlier in the summer.

The grants will allow the schools to move on several initiatives designed to improve the instructional core, including extended instructional time every school day for students. DESE awarded the competitive grants based on each school’s individual plans for school improvement, which were submitted in December (earlier in the case of Kiley) and I am extremely proud of the great work these school teams have accomplished in putting together a strategic, realistic and aggressive approach to redesigning their schools.

The bad news came with the announcement of a payroll mistake that caused more than 1,400 teachers to be overpaid by a total of about $1 million. This news is unfortunate on many fronts. First and foremost, it places an unfair burden on teachers who come to work every day ready to put their best foot forward to teach our students. Good teachers who trusted the district to do the right thing in issuing their pay check. As a district, it has re-directed our efforts, resources and concentration away from what matters most – making sure we provide students with the tools they need to achieve academic excellence.

Our teachers have been amazing during this difficult time and we appreciate their patience. And I would like to assure them that we have been working very hard to fix this problem and put measures in place so that it never happens again.

Sharpening the Saw

Education of the conscious is vital to be a proactive and highly effective leader. This requires regular feasting on powerful literature and inspirational speakers, staying current on executive leadership practices and embracing critical friends as thought partners. This past week I had the opportunity to do just that at two events held in Denver, Colorado.

The first event was in response to an invitation from the U.S. Department of Education to participate in a labor-management conference with our Springfield Education Association (SEA) president, Tim Collins and vice-chair of the School Committee, Denise Hurst. There were 150 district teams in attendance represented by superintendents, union presidents and school board members. The focus of the convening was Advancing Student Achievement through Labor-Management Collaboration. We had the opportunity to learn more about promising practices from high performing districts across the country on the “what and the how” of governance in working together to improve teaching and learning for all of our students.

Secondly, I attended the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Conference on Education with an opportunity to strengthen my resolve from the likes of Michael Fullan (an international leader on educational change), Doug Reeves (founder of The Leadership and Learning Center), and Diane Ravitch (research professor and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute). I also interacted with and heard from three of my mentors: Dr. Arlene Ackerman (Superintendent of Philadelphia Public Schools), Dr. Jerry Weast (outgoing Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools) and Dr. Lillian Lowery (Delaware’s Secretary of Education).

Finally, I had the chance to co-present at the AASA Conference with Dr. Marvin Fairman, another friend and mentor as we shared information on Organizational Health in our presentation for Using Data to Transform the Culture of Schools and Central Office Units.

Investing in time for renewal keeps us fresh and serves to help increase our capacity to perform at a high level.

Snow Days

As Mother Nature deals us what has been described as the snowiest winter New England has seen in more than 40 years, school districts throughout the region are left to figure out ways for students to make up the days missed because of snow. In Springfield, we build 5 snow days into our school calendar and as of today, we are two days beyond that safety net. In the past, we have simply tacked on the extra days to be made up at the end of the school year. This year, school districts – including ours – are looking at other alternatives, including using school vacation time or Saturdays to make up the days. As we consider all of our options, our top priority is coming up with a plan that allows students and teachers more time in the classroom for overall instruction as well as MCAS preparation. Speaking of MCAS, we have already asked state education officials to consider pushing back the MCAS dates this year so that our students can recoup classroom time lost by snow days in advance of the state test. So, as you see, Mother Nature has given us much to consider. We will keep students, parents and staff posted as soon as our course of action is determined.

More time in school will be well-used

Today, our students at Kiley Middle School will start receiving 45 additional minutes of instruction every day. This time will be used in a strategic, targeted way to help improve student achievement and represents a major change in how we invest in education for our students’ future. I would like to thank the parents, students, staff and faculty at Kiley Middle School for your courage, flexibility and commitment to changing your school for the better. It has taken an enormous amount of planning, preparation and resources to make this occur and I am confident that it will help us achieve our goal.

Kiley has been a trailblazer in leading our efforts to turn our Level 4 schools around and though the school sets out on its own today as the only school in the district to increase the length of the school day, other Level 4 schools will follow suit next year (Brightwood, Brookings, Homer Street, Gerena, White Street, Zanetti, Chestnut, Kennedy and Commerce). Though details of an extended school day has yet to be worked out at those schools, tremendous work is already underway to help students there in ways that are innovative and far-reaching.

The work of all of Level 4 schools is extremely important as we will use lessons learned there to help shape our entire education system. I must remind you, however, that change does not occur overnight. As a district, we did not arrive at our current status quickly, but rather over a course of time. It will also take time for us to re-build our district into a culture of educational excellence – today we have taken a large step forward toward that goal.

Seeing yourself in student achievement

A challenging concept in public education has long been getting everyone to clearly see and understand the role they can play in improving student achievement. The nature of teaching and learning makes it all too easy for people outside of the classroom to believe there is little they can do help a C or D student become an A and B student. The truth is, those kinds of outcomes occur as the result of many structures, roles, strategies and conditions. Yes, there are some variables beyond our control, (i.e. the socio-economic condition of students, state and federal mandates, district policies and political and economic trends) but there are many factors that we can positively impact every day. We have spent the last two years addressing absenteeism, student learning, achievement gaps, the graduation rate, community partnerships and other important factors that impact student achievement. As we continue to advance the SPS 2009 – 2012 Strategic Plan, signs of hope are all around us and we are working hard to debunk the myth that educational excellence is the work of only teachers and students. To the contrary, we know that it takes an entire community.

Where we’ve been in 2010 and where we’re heading in 2011

As the school district bids goodbye to 2010 and continues to aggressively pursue our vision for a culture of educational excellence for all students, it is appropriate to highlight some of our successes and some of things we aim to accomplish as we move forward. Attached you will find an article I wrote that appears in the current issue of The District Management Journal, which focuses on those things.

The District Management Journal - Winter 2011 (PDF)