I am grateful for the opportunity to serve here in Stapleton, and I am very proud of our top-notch staff, and the outstanding student achievement results we have produced together. I am also proud of the community efforts to address the need for daycare, the success of the school foundation, and the work done to build the park splash pad. These are examples of what we can be achieved when the community acts in unity for the good of all.
After last month’s school board meeting, I better sensed the urgency the community has to deal with the current issue of declining student enrollment and the need for more academic programs. I’m confident that solutions can be found following the examples of the daycare, school foundation, and splash pad. They are proof of what can be done for the future of the community and school, if people come together for a common good.
School districts and communities are large and complex organizations, led by boards, who conduct business through formal rules that aren’t always able to deal with problems as fast as we would like. It is very challenging to meet the demands of faster moving modern families who want immediate results. Nevertheless, we can and should try to engage in this process of local governance, as it is intended to gather, understand, and respond to these needs.
Although the school board has committed to taking a proactive approach to meeting the demands of the school beginning June 30, there are other ways to communicate that are incredibly helpful and if used correctly are very effective in addressing the many different aspects of a problem. Board of Education Policy 4013 Grievance Procedure is one such way that gives us the proper steps to engage the public about important matters in a way that holds us accountable for results. From a practical point of view, it gives us the best chance to understand the specifics and nuances of a matter through the eyes of the people directly affected. Dealing with issues in this manner ensures we improve and maintain personal and public trust.
Prior to the last school board meeting it was brought to my attention that a chat group of 20 people were stating concerns about the school. In part of the chat, it was expressed by one of the patrons, that he felt it was pointless to present his concerns to the administration, and that he would instead present them to the school board at the top. This patron who has very strong ties to many people who work in the school has never approached me about any of the issues presented. And I would assume that a person like this operating in good faith, would understand the value of presenting and dealing with issues and concerns through proper channels. More simply if the patron was concerned about successful leadership, they would have presented the concerns in a manner that stood the best chance to handle the issues, and they would not have lumped in their own personal concerns which had already been successfully dealt with by the administration. Instead, the presentation may have served to weaken public support for school leadership, rather than promoting a unified problem-solving effort. In my opinion, backed by conversations with school patrons, this sort of backdoor politicking, sometimes motivated by ulterior motives, has done significant damage to this community and school, and it is one of the chief reasons why parents have chosen to option out their students to neighboring schools. Furthermore, it has also had a negative impact on the hiring and retention of quality staff, as well as attracting patrons to serve on the school board. And if continued, these backdoor means of dealing with problems will futher jeopardize the future of the school and community, leading families to seek other options.
Understanding that my words will likely lead to more discussion, I encourage all patrons to stop into the school and speak with me. It is indeed a pivotal moment for the school, and as long as I am employed as the superintendent, I will do my best to remain objective and to provide the leadership and guidance that I think will help. I encourage all patrons to engage in their civic duties, put their personal agenda aside, and devote themselves to the good of the other. I do not pretend to have all the answers, and would sincerely appreciate any feedback, advice, or push back given in good faith.