Schools superintendent reaches out

It seems like just yesterday I was signing my contract and trying to figure out all the logistics of transitioning into Sisters. As I approach the end of my first year as the Superintendent of Sisters School District I find myself reflecting on my experiences.

When considering a move, my wife, Kellie, and I were looking for smaller towns as we wanted our four children to experience that close-knit/community feeling that we had growing up. I was nervous about making a move. I wondered if my experiences of growing up in a small town were distorted by the "good old days" mindset that we often have when remembering our childhood.

While doing research about Sisters we discovered a strong school system and a supportive community that boasted about strong partnerships and volunteerism. Even though there is always room to improve, what I have discovered is that the reality in Sisters is better than the research.

I have found the research does not do justice or appropriately capture the partnerships with Sisters Folk Festival, Sisters Schools Foundation, Sisters Park & Recreation District and the Science Club, and the experiences that these partnerships afford our students.

These partnerships support programs like the Americana Project, IEE, outdoor education, guitar and ukulele building, culinary arts, flight science, Chinese language, and Seed to Table. Not to mention the traditional school supported co-curricular activities like band, choir and athletic programs that round out a comprehensive school system. These experiential learning opportunities are described as transformational by the students, staff and community members that participate in them.

Most importantly, I have discovered a hard-working, reflective staff and community that have a "can-do" attitude and care about providing top-notch experiences for our students. This is the cornerstone to making Sisters not just the best school district in the region, but one of the best in the state.

I feel this fits well with my personality and educational philosophy. As an educator, I feel a strong sense of urgency to make sure we are doing the best we can to develop the critical thinkers and lifelong learners that will be able to adjust to our ever-changing world when they leave our schools.

Finally, I have realized that even with the many community forums, presentations to local organizations, and my attendance at countless community events, I still have not had the opportunity to meet all of the people that are a part of the Sisters community.

I have connected with many community members to get an understanding of the priorities around education, and I believe I need to hear from all of our residents, not only parents and family members. We all know that great schools have a huge impact on our graduation rates, our local economy, future workforce, and property values.

That's why we need our business and community leaders and retired neighbors to let us know where they stand on school-related issues. For those who I have not had the pleasure of meeting, you can contact the district office as I continue to seek partnerships and feedback on how to improve the experiences provided to our students and the Sisters School District.