Yesterday was the first day of school for most of our schools; it is my favorite day of the school year. I started the day at one of our elementary schools and as always, was impressed by the good energy of the staff and by how well the influx of students and hovering parents were treated. Putting a mom at ease who is saying goodbye to a kindergarten student is not an easy task. I visited five of our schools yesterday and by the afternoon, it no longer felt like the first day; the KPBSD engine was again running on all cylinders. That evening I had a passing conversation with one of our graduates who attends UAF. He shared that he is majoring in petroleum engineering and that academically, he is well prepared to handle the rigors of his college coursework. This brief exchange was a great way to end the day that saw five year olds going in the school door for the first time and a successful graduate sharing that he is not fazed by college.
Watching our students come to school reminded me of the enormous responsibility that all of us at KPBSD bear to do all that we can to ensure that our students are as successful as the mentioned young man. The trust that the students’ parents and guardians bestow on district employees to make this the case, is one that all of us at KPBSD acknowledge and embrace. Community and family engagement is one of our strategic plan’s focus areas. As we strive to meet this area’s goals, let’s carry the good, welcoming energy of yesterday to May 21, 2014, our last day of the year.
First day of school
Yesterday was the first day of school for most of our schools; it is my favorite day of the school year. I started the day at one of our elementary schools and as always, was impressed by the good energy of the staff and by how well the influx of students and hovering parents were treated. Putting a mom at ease who is saying goodbye to a kindergarten student is not an easy task. I visited five of our schools yesterday and by the afternoon, it no longer felt like the first day; the KPBSD engine was again running on all cylinders. That evening I had a passing conversation with one of our graduates who attends UAF. He shared that he is majoring in petroleum engineering and that academically, he is well prepared to handle the rigors of his college coursework. This brief exchange was a great way to end the day that saw five year olds going in the school door for the first time and a successful graduate sharing that he is not fazed by college.
Watching our students come to school reminded me of the enormous responsibility that all of us at KPBSD bear to do all that we can to ensure that our students are as successful as the mentioned young man. The trust that the students’ parents and guardians bestow on district employees to make this the case, is one that all of us at KPBSD acknowledge and embrace. Community and family engagement is one of our strategic plan’s focus areas. As we strive to meet this area’s goals, let’s carry the good, welcoming energy of yesterday to May 21, 2014, our last day of the year.