Reflecting Forward: Using the rearview mirror to guide us forward, not hold us in the past

 As we close the year, I am looking at my #LeadPositive leadership vision which I communicated during my start here at DeWitt Public Schools. 

This poster hangs in my office as a reminder of the leader that I aspire to be, and here are some reflections of my first year as DPS Superintendent as well as some goals for moving forward. 

L: I have fallen in love with the proud commitment people have to maximize everyone’s potential. I have learned a great deal and through the support and encouragement of so many people, I have also found time to not only love and learn but laugh as well. Laughter and joy can go a long way in the face of adversity. One of our objectives in the culture and environment goal of our strategic plan is to create a place where people want to come to work and learn. Love and laughter are important components of having a positive environment. 

E: I have really worked to empower others as well as support them in empowering others. It is important for us to build capacity and encourage our students to think for themselves and think collaboratively, creatively, and critically. We will continue to enhance these important skills. 

A: Staff and students are defying the odds and helping students and each other achieve–not only academically, but also socially, personally, athletically, and creatively. I am sure we will continue to see hard work and achievement in these areas in the year to come as well. 

D: We work to defend risk-taking by leaders, staff, and students to push forward and step out of comfort zones to maximize their potential and growth. We have increased our social media presence and have opened up the inside of our classrooms and buildings to share the wonderful teaching and learning. As part of our strategic planning process, we plan to build capacity in this area through a PR team. 

P: The expectation of being positive ambassadors of our district, schools, and professions has been a huge focus and will continue to drive the work we do to create a more supportive, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all our students, staff, and families. 

O: Order and safety have been and will continue to be a huge focus for our district. This year, the increased, horrific acts of school shootings have brought the importance of school safety, preparedness, and prevention to the forefront. We have created a district safety team and one of the first objectives of our district strategy planning is to put more training and protocols in place to keep students and staff safe.

S: We have really worked this year to support our students and staff, and this continues to be a goal for our district, especially in the area of mental health. There has been a great deal of change in the world over the last 5 years as well as increased pressure and exposure. We will continue to support the whole learner and make this an even bigger focus for this next year. 

I: Our students can only be as innovative as our teachers allow and model, and teachers can only be as innovative as administrators allow and model. This district has been committed to providing excellence for our students and preparing them for a global society. The standard of excellence doesn’t just apply to academics. It is evident in performing arts, athletics, and other extracurricular activities. There is a great deal of pride in what we do. The students and staff have made me very proud of them and their accomplishments this year. 

T: We have really worked to recognize and pay tribute to our students and staff this year. Through students of the week/month, Pride Awards, and celebrations, we are truly grateful to have such amazing students and staff in the district. We also appreciate all of the families who have been supportive and recognized so many staff contributions this year. 

I: I personally have done a great deal of inquiring and reflecting this year. It has been a tremendous year of learning, asking a lot of questions, and doing a great deal of district reflection and self-reflection. Even as a district, we have reflected on our district and worked on revising our vision, mission, core values, and goals. It is important to keep moving forward, and we do that through assessing, analyzing, and reflecting. Our new curriculum team has worked hard this year to do the same, supporting teachers, instruction, and learning, as well as reviewing and supporting data-driven practices. We will continue all of this work into next year since it has been such a vital addition to enhancing teaching and learning. 

V: I worked to be in the buildings weekly, visiting each building monthly, recognizing staff with Pride Awards, sharing in some of the instructional projects, and participating in various celebrations. I was able to make it to many of the different team competitions and performances, and several community events. Whether in the classroom, stage, court/field, or out in the community, commitment, love, and pride are also visible from each and every stakeholder. My favorite day of the entire year was June 2nd. Between Pride Awards, field days, and the amazing DeWitt Community Showcase, I was able to meet and speak to so many families. It is quite evident that I am blessed to be here, and so are our staff and students. 

E: We have added and updated our social media to engage our community. We have provided more resources and will continue to build on our department and building web pages, and provide updates, and regular, and important communication at all levels. Our partnerships with parents, support organizations, and area businesses and organizations are truly valued and needed to be successful. Thank you for your continued support. 

While we have faced many challenges this year; we have come together to provide our students with a year of moving forward, finding our way, and growing from the process. Our staff has differentiated and explored more practices than ever before, working with data and being supported by a quality team, and our students have been able to overcome major obstacles. We still have a lot of work to do, but progress continues to be made, and I couldn't be more proud of the work we have done and the foundation set to move us forward. 

Thank you for welcoming me into this amazing Panther Community: strong, united, loyal, and true.