Things Remembered

The end of the year is that traditional time of reflection and new promises. Have to admit I have no idea where or how time flies by so rapidly. I can remember thinking that 2000 was a long way off. I definitely remember speaking to this 2011 graduating class thinking the is still four years away. But the new millennium is two days shy of being 12 years old.

Promises -- somehow new year resolutions have become a ritual that we assume will never really happen. I want something more this year. So I use the word promises. How guarded would we mark our words if we thought of them as promises that we really had to strive to bring into reality? Walking the talk is very difficult.

I know that regular daily attendance to school improves academic achievement. But I can't promise that will happen for every child. I know that being prepared for class will improve academic achievement. But, again, I can't promise that will happen for every child.

Obviously, I can strive to influence those activities but I do not control the circumstances making them happen. What I control and I can promise is a strong and relevant curriculum. I believe that we offer IB to all students grades 9-12 and it is a powerful framework for students and teachers. I can promise to continue to support the development and implementation of IB for our children.

I promise to continue to support strong and relevant teachers who motivate children, provide rich instructional opportunities and demand the best from themselves and their students. I believe that we are fortunate in this educational community to have many outstanding teachers for our children. I believe we have teachers who have a solid background and training in their content area. They are professional educators dedicated to continuous improvement. They are passionate about teaching and learning. I know that we must continue to support our excellent staff and celebrate our tremendous successes.

I promise to support activities, programs and events that promote the educational opportunities for our students. The arts are vital to the success of a creative, productive and responsible society. In the broad sense I include athletics in the arts. In the Classical ages athletics were important to the society, its politics, its statements of faith and its education of the young. I think clubs and events enrich the lives of it's members and connect people to one another and to the school.

I do wish I could enable every child to be academically successful.