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.