April 18, 2019
Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff:
Respect.
Humility. Authenticity. Transparency. It is through a combination of these
ideas that districts are able to accomplish great things. In my former role as
an assistant superintendent, I had the opportunity to partner with an
educational design lab, 2Revolutions, that was focused on building and implementing new learning models that
prepare students for success in the future
in innovative and cutting-edge ways. I
hope to carry my learning from that collaboration to our Kenilworth School Community,
in particular their belief that:
Everything is about people. Systems are people. Leadership is people. Culture is people. Change is made by people, in specific
contexts, but it cannot simply happen to them. Progress is fueled not only by competence, but
also through a mix of respect, humility, authenticity, and transparency… Transformation
is complex work that can only be done together over time. No short cuts. Period.
With this in mind, I frame this Superintendent’s
Update around these four hallmarks of progress.
Respect
I am pleased to spotlight this year’s
Educators of the Year. They were
recently recognized at the April 8, 2019 meeting of the Kenilworth Board of
Education; however, their body of work and commitment to young people deserves
to be celebrated again in this correspondence.
Congratulations to:
-
Nancy Bechtler, Teacher of the Year,
Brearley Middle School
-
Megan Harrison, Educational
Professional of the Year, Brearley Middle-High School
-
Michael Klimchak, Teacher of the Year,
Harding School
-
Anthony LaBruno, Teacher of the Year,
Brearley High School
-
Regina O’Connor, Educational Professional
of the Year, Harding School
Humility
I was humbled by the
talents of our students during our recent performances of Peter Pan by Harding’s students and The Addams Family by our Brearley students. Their commitment, passion, and talent – as
well as that of their teachers – was palpable and a reminder that the
arts matter.