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Superintendent’s Message
May 23, 2009
Here it is the end of another school year,
and I find myself wondering where the months of this school
year have gone. As I ponder a message to deliver, I find
myself flooded with thoughts of things that I would like to
say to our faculty, staff, students, parents, and community.
It has been a year full of challenges, celebrations, and
yes, a few surprises. It has been a time of celebration of
student achievement and a time of announcements for change
in district leadership. For us, this year must be viewed as
a journey toward success…one more step taken. From this
point forward, our compass is data, not whim; and our
purpose is clear: educate and graduate every student.
Today’s task is tomorrow’s future.
At no time in American history have public
schools faced so many challenges. Neither has there been a
time when such challenge has been faced with such a lack of
focused support. Federal mandates often times complicate and
compromise the instructional time teachers have to meet the
instructional needs of individual students. Sanction threats
and legal issues serve only to require more time
documenting, time taken away from quality teacher-student
contact. Schools are not machines turning out a uniform
product. Our students are individuals with unique talents,
needs, and abilities. Common sense tells us that one size
will never fit all.
If we are to meet the challenges on the
doorsteps of our schools, and if we are to confront the
prevailing criticisms, we must first look at how we came to
this place. Public schools are most certainly a reflection
of our community and our society at large. If we want and
expect more, then we must be willing to give more in order
to change our way of thinking and change our current level
of expectation. Expectations are not only made at school;
they must come from home. We can raise standards, and we can
set goals for student achievement in our classrooms. We can
pass legislation and broaden legal mandates; and, we can
distribute “report cards” of progress. However, until we
establish a community and family expectation of excellence
with a reasonable level of support, it is likely that our
improvements will be limited. We must work together to raise
the bar, and we must not waiver in setting goals from a more
focused curriculum. If we truly value education, we must
expend our time, energies, and resources wisely to make sure
that “adequacy” (and “equity”) is part of the formula for
success. There will be no greater dividend for the future
than will be the result of our investment in our children’s
future.
Joey Hassell, Superintendent
Lauderdale County Schools
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