Superintendent's Corner
October 27th, 2023
Dear WSSD Community,
As I write this letter, it has been 44 days since we opened the doors of our schools on August 28th, and welcomed our students with The First Four. Already, we are approaching the end of the 1st quarter, and soon we will be holding parent-teacher conferences at the elementary buildings. Our athletics teams have done us proud and are transitioning to postseason championships. In a blink of an eye, it will be the beginning of the Winter season, and then, Thanksgiving, the perfect time for gathering with families and friends that serve as a reminder of all that we are grateful for. I, for one, am always grateful for the successes and accomplishments you make possible for our children, and your ongoing support and commitment to our staff and WSSD community. Indeed, we have so much to be proud of and to celebrate at WSSD.
At the October 23rd Monday night Board meeting, the Board of School Directors approved our WSSD Strategic Plan which is the culmination of a year and half of work grounded in collaboration and engagement with you, administrators, staff, students, teachers and school board members. Our Strategic Plan reinforces all the qualities that make our school district a choice destination to learn and work while reimagining an ecosystem that will provide an optimal learning environment for all students. Staff members, families, parents, administrators and school board members have joined together to develop a shared vision of success for WSSD for the next ten years. Embedded in the Vision Statement of the plan is the articulation of our aspirations for the future of WSSD that is steeped in excellence.
Yet, even as we celebrate the launch of the Strategic Plan, we have to put into motion the steps to execute the plan. I have shared with you before that this plan is bold, innovative, ambitious, and in many ways like nothing we have endeavored before. T.S. Eliot said, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” It is in our collective action that we will find courage and confidence to turn this plan into reality. We are reaching higher, pushing ourselves further and extending our limits because we are committed to Five Pathways, Five Schools, One Haven. At the heart of the plan is the Vision Statement and five pathways: Diversity, Equity and Belonging; Teaching Learning & Innovation; Culture, Community and Communications; Wellness and Social-Emotional Competencies and Infrastructure and Finance. The pathways are built around specific objectives that we are committed to accomplish in the next few years.
This is OUR Strategic Plan, OUR journey! Arthur Ash said it best, “Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome.” It is a plan that echoes your voice, your insights and your input as well as those who live and are invested in this community. Within it resides the promise of endless possibilities, boundless opportunities and a future for our school district that reflects our collective vision and purpose.
Let me share with you a few highlights from the week, as well as reminders of the upcoming meetings and events.
Professional Development Day
November 7th is Election Day and schools will be closed while staff and administrators will engage in and participate in a professional learning day.
Red Ribbon Week
The Red Ribbon Campaign serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities, educate youth and encourage participation in alcohol, tobacco, smoking, and other drug and violence prevention activities. I appreciate your efforts in attaining PBIS goals, Advisory, sharing of promotional items like pens/pencils, and more.
Athletic Celebrations
Congratulations to our Strath Haven High School Football Team for the second consecutive Central League title with their win against Haverford. The team will play the last regular season game this Friday at Harry S. Truman High School at 7:00 PM. Congratulations to the Golf team, Volleyball Team, Girls Tennis team, Boys Soccer team, Girls Soccer Team, Girls and Boys Cross Country who participated in the PIAA District 1 Championships/Tournament. Great job to all our athletes this fall season.
School Board & Committee Meetings
The Facilities & Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, November 1st in B226 at 7pm. The agenda will be available Monday on BoardDocs. The Policy Committee will meet on Monday, November 6th or B226 at 7pm.
Meetings are live-streamed and archived on WSSD YouTube Page. For more information and a link to the meeting schedules, please click here.
Connect With WSSD
Email: helpdesk@wssd.org
Website: wssd.org
Location: 200 S Providence Rd, Wallingford, PA 19086, USA
Phone: 610-892-3470
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WallingfordSwarthmoreSchools/
Twitter: @WSSchools