It is hard to believe that October is already here and our school year is well underway for our students and staff. As with each new school year, our new beginning is yet another chance for our students to learn, explore, and enjoy the many opportunities the community of Suffield provides in its schools. We thank you for your continued support of the Suffield Public Schools, and we look forward to embracing, in partnership, all that there is to take pride in. With “Making Connections” as our theme for the year, we hope that you will consider setting aside some time to reach out to us, attend our many school events, and find ways to support the community organizations who dedicate countless hours to fulfill our promise of an excellent educational experience for our students.
Prior to the start of the school year, our Board of Education adopted several goals that will serve to guide our district as we strive for excellence in the months ahead. The goals, which are as follows, will lead to the development of a multi-year strategic plan that will set forth the district’s objectives as we look to embrace a vision for the future:
Goal 1
Establish healthy channels of outreach, communication, engagement, and collaboration with town government and the community;
Goal 2
Systematically use meaningful data to drive, improve and track student success;
Goal 3
Continue to design and implement an integrated plan for professional learning aligned with district needs;
Goal 4
Continue the implementation of revised curriculum with an emphasis on alignment and consistency between documented curriculum and delivered curriculum’
Goal 5
Develop a five-year Strategic Plan.
In the furtherance of these Board of Education goals, we have developed both district and school Advancement Plans that set forth specific objectives and initiatives that will be continuously monitored throughout the school year. These plans will be posted on our district webpage for everyone to access, and we hope that you will take some time to review them and provide feedback along the way.
As we look to enhance our communication with the community, we have established a calendar of events for this year’s Board of Education meetings. To elucidate the many wonderful programs we have in the Suffield Public Schools, the Board of Education will be featuring a “Schools in the Spotlight” at each of our regular Board of Education meetings. With students and staff leading these presentations, they will undoubtedly capture the essence of excitement, imagination, and innovation our students are able to experience throughout the school year. In addition to our “Schools in the Spotlight,” the Board of Education will also be hosting special workshops in place of their second meeting of the month. These workshops will focus on district initiatives that are currently underway, and will serve as an opportunity for community residents learn about our schools and all we are doing to prepare our students for their future. The full calendar of these events can be found on our district website, and we are hopeful you will consider attending these meetings if you happen to have a special interest in any of the topics being shared.
In closing, I would like to say that it is an honor to be serving as your Superintendent of Schools. I look forward to a very special 2019-2020 school year, and the many connections we will make along the way.