Excellence for
All
September 3, 2009
Dear Seattle Public Schools staff members,
Welcome to
the 2009-2010 school year! I hope you had a restful and
rejuvenating summer and are ready to usher in a wonderful year of
growth and learning for our students.
From the time
I was five years old, I have eagerly looked forward to the first
day of school. As a child, I was excited to see friends I
hadn’t seen all summer and to meet my new teachers. Days
ahead of time, I would pick out my clothes for the first day, and I
remember shopping with my mother for new pencils, paper and
binders. That first week, the teachers would pass out textbooks and
I’d thumb through them looking forward to learning new things
all year.
As a parent,
I am particularly excited this year because my daughter will begin
pre-school in the SPS system this month. It is the first of many
first days that will bring excitement and anticipation as she
progresses through her education.
Throughout my
years as teacher, coach, administrator and superintendent, I have
watched the eager faces of students at the beginning of each year
and have been awed by the responsibility and joy of helping to
shape those young minds.
Now, as SPS
superintendent, I am appreciative of the excellent team of
teachers, administrators and staff that we have assembled, and I am
still awed by the responsibility and joy of shaping young
minds.
As we begin
this year, please remember that whether you work inside or outside
the classroom, you are making a difference in students’ lives
every day. Together we are taking important steps to ensure that
each of our students graduates ready for college, careers and
life.
I am very
proud of SPS students and your work with them. The WASL results
released last month showed that our students continue to outperform
or tie the state averages in 19 of 20 areas tested. This is a
particularly strong accomplishment for any school district, let
alone for the largest district in our state.
While we
still have work to do in closing what is a persistent and
intolerable achievement gap, it’s important to also recognize
and celebrate success. So thank you for your commitment to our
students and your work in implementing our five-year plan,
Excellence for All.
I also invite
you to join me in welcoming Dr. Susan Enfield, who became our Chief
Academic Officer in July. After only two months, she has already
become a strong member of our team and a key resource for our
schools. Susan will be listening intently and gathering input so
that she can support our educational teams and our students in
achieving success. You can read more about Susan and other key
members of our leadership team by visiting http://www.seattlewomanmagazine.com/articles/sept09-1.htm.
In just a few
days, students will return to our schools, eager for the start of
the new year. We are just as eager to get started as they are, and
I look forward to working with you all as we continue our journey
to achieve Excellence for All.
Thank you for
your dedication to the children of Seattle Public
Schools.
Sincerely,
Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Seattle Public Schools
Every student achieving, everyone accountable.
Contact the superintendent at superintendent@seattleschools.org.
