We have a lot to be grateful for as we head into the homestretch of our school year.
That begins today – May 1 – with our observance of National Principals Day! This offers an opportunity for us to say thanks to all of the leaders who are responsible for creating and sustaining positive and safe learning environments in each of our 17 school buildings.
Our principals and assistant principals are vital to all that we do to serve our students, families and community.
We salute their passion and steadfast commitment today and all year long. Please join me in thanking our building administrators for their important work.
On Friday, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating School Lunch Hero Day and all the members of our Food Services Department dedicated to helping our students enjoy healthy, nourishing meals each day.
They’re School Breakfast Heroes, too!
The members of our Food Services team help all of our students start the day off right in the morning, and keep them going strong midday, preparing breakfast and lunch, and serving both with a smile and a kind word. They help encourage our students to try new things and get all the nutrients their growing bodies need to stay strong and healthy.
Next week, we’ll celebrate two critcally important groups of employees.
Next Tuesday is National Teacher Apprecaition Day. As we head into the final weeks of our school year, it is an opportunity once again to remind our teachers how much we appreciate them and the commitment they demonstrate to their students.
All of us can point to a teacher who provided a positive influence in our lives and helped us on our way. Our teachers are hard at work every day in building those relationships and helping today’s young people become tomorrow’s leaders.
Finally, next Wednesday is National School Nurse Day. We are proud to recognize the important role our nurses play in protecting the health and well-being of our students.
Our nurses provide a critical safety net for all of our students, and especially for those students who have specific health needs or concerns. They promote wellness each day and encourage our students to make healthy choices that they can sustain and build on as they grow toward adulthood.
They are providers of, and advocates for, quality student-centered care, and we are fortunate to have their expertise in our organization.
I would like to finish with a particular note of thanks to our district health services coordinator, Suzanne McCarthy.
Suzanne is retiring at the end of this school after a 20-year career as a nurse and a leader in our school district. She has cared for many thousands of students during that time – as a school nurse at Giffen Memorial Elementary School and Sheridan Preparatory Academy early in her career with us, at Pine Hills Elementary School from 2008-20, and as our district-wide health services coordinator since then.
Her skilled, tireless, expert leadership was crucial in helping the school district navigate the treacherous times of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for all she has provided to our students, families, employees and community over the past two decades.
Please join me in congratulating Suzanne and all of our nurses – and principals, teachers and food service staff – for their tremendous contributions this month and throughout the year.
Sincerely,
Joseph Hochreiter
Superintendent
