Each year as we begin to approach summer and the end of another academic year, we start to reflect on the last several months. One thing that I think is unique to education is that, when you take the time to reflect on the work you've done, you can see the impact you've had on your students and your community.

You can see improvement in your students, whether it's the use of new vocabulary from back in November, or remembering a math formula that they were taught before Spring Break. Or, it can be as simple as a student who was too shy to participate in August feeling comfortable enough in class to raise their hand to answer a question.

It takes time and dedication to get to this point. Each day our teachers and staff work with our students to create a learning environment that is welcoming while still being rigorous. And, as a school system, we couldn't be where we are without that dedication from our staff.

Last week, we wanted to make it clear to our staff that this hard work hasn't gone unnoticed, and awarded more than 1,300 We Notice awards to staff: from teachers, to bus drivers, to administrators and more! Each We Notice nomination was submitted by community members, parents, and students to honor the staff that have made an impact on their life over the past nine months.

So, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank our community for noticing the hard work that our staff puts in day in and day out, and thank our staff for continuing to be dedicated to the education of our students.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Matthew S. Haas, Superintendent