Dear Friends,

As the summer passes, although our hallways seem empty without our students, the School District remains a busy and productive place as we prepare for the coming school year.  Our summer work focuses on aligning our efforts with our Strategic Plan, the document that is our blueprint for improvement.  It includes our vision, mission, exit standards, beliefs/core values and strategic intents.  Throughout this summer, we’ll be running a series of letters.  Each will focus on one of our beliefs/core values, to familiarize you with the Strategic Plan and goals of the District.

The first belief/core value states, “The School District must partner with the community to provide a safe, nurturing and challenging environment in preparing self-directed learners for a diverse workplace and world.” 

The first element in this statement is essential, “The School District must partner with the community…”  A true partnership is dependent upon effective, two-way communication. This takes hard work, commitment and openness.  In my time with the District, I have made communication a top priority, guided by the recommendations of our former communications committee and the community.  Many of you have joined me in this partnership, by serving on committees, reaching out with your questions and concerns, or joining our Key Communicators network.  These opportunities give you a voice to directly communicate your concerns, questions and moments of pride.  I urge you to consider joining one of our many committees, all of which include community representation.  Or, join our Key Communicators network.  Key Communicators are community members who are dedicated to excellence in communication and education.  You may know them as caring neighbors, involved citizens, concerned parents and opinion-givers. They ask effective and probing questions that allow them to gain a true understanding of what’s happening in our schools.  They deliver concerns and criticism with respect, and provide suggestions for improvement.  You need not attend meetings to be a Key Communicator.  The group meets on campus and also online.  All you need is a dedication to open, effective, two-way communication.  If you are interested in joining, please contact me at michelle_kavanaugh@hflcsd.org or 624-7010.

The second component of the belief/core value is “…to provide a safe, nurturing and challenging environment in preparing self-directed learners for a diverse workplace and world.”  Our students are the reason for all we do, and nothing could be more important than their safety, health and wellness.  We’ve made a number of efforts this year to ensure we are providing a safe, secure learning environment for our children, including locking all doors during the school day, posting monitors at the front doors of all of our schools, changing visitor sign-in processes, installing cameras in our high school and establishing a safety tip line.  Unfortunately, some of these efforts have been misunderstood by our students, who think they signify a lack of trust.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  We’ve made these changes not because we lack trust in our students, but to ensure that they are safe.  That being said, we understand that we need to improve our communication with our students.  High School Principal David Roth is prioritizing two-way communication with his students and their parents, and both high school and middle school students will be invited to participate on additional building and district level committees this year. 

By partnering as a school and community, we can produce self-directed learners who serve their community, achieve academically, possess strong ethics and are prepared for success in a diverse workplace and world.

Finally, as important as what we communicate is how we communicate.  I place the highest value on openness, honesty and integrity - in actions, decisions and communication.  I ask that you join us, whether you are a parent, student, staff member or community member, by partnering with us, and by communicating your concerns to us openly through whatever venue is comfortable for you.  Feel free to call or email me at any time, or just stop in to discuss your thoughts, ideas or concerns. My door is always open to you.  Please look for the next letter in this series, which will focus on expecting high levels of achievement.