A Superintendent's Reflection: Pandemic...Crisis or Opportunity?

I woke up this morning feeling particularly thankful and excited for the future. I don't want to come out and say that I'm happy for the COVID-19 mess...but I am excited for the opportunity it creates.

This is year 29 for me in education and I've spent my whole career wondering how we got to our current space in education. 
  • The over emphasis on standardized testing as the only measure of what kids know and can do.
  • The "one sized fits most" approach to schooling where we force kids to sit in classes that look the same, with instruction that looks the same, with topics that look the same, without ever once asking our kids what they are passionate about or interested in.
  • We've quit working with parents as partners. Parents are either too busy for us or we're too busy for them...but in any case we don't work together for the good of their children.
  • We judge schools based on how many days kids attend school, with their butts in seats....as opposed to what they actually learn and can do.
  • Our high schools look much the way they did in 1900, without any consideration of all the ways to use technology. We've abandoned apprenticeships that allow kids to learn from adults who know trades.
  • We're more interested in graduating widgets who all think, look and act the same rather than personally allowing each child's heart and spirit and mind to develop in a natural way.
So....I'm excited about this challenge and crisis that we're just wading into. I'm excited to see what our North Beach community of learners can create when we are forced to do things differently. I'm optimistic that if we all calibrate our "compasses"  carefully on doing/creating the very best for our children that we can create a school system where....

  • Kids can show what they know and are able to do in a myriad of ways. Their "way" is flexible and based on their learning style and passion.
  • We create learning experiences that match our kids. Individualized plans that allow kids to chase and explore their interests and be guided by adults who first and foremost love and care about them as individuals. 
  • Parents/guardians are equal partners in the educational process and we don't expect parents to "meet us where we are" but rather meet parents where they are comfortable and forge relationships with no other interest than ensuring that their scholar thrives.
  • Schools are judged based on the health and vitality of their kids within the communities they serve. Success is defined as supporting kids in navigating and making progress down their "life path" towards their goals.
  • Our high schools work to look and operate as flexible and nimble as the world is today. We look to experts in business and industry as equally important partners to create multiple pathways for our scholars.
  • Our primary goal in schools shifts to supporting the mental and physical health of our learners. We build systems to ensure and support their health in a complex world and really "act" as if the care of the heart, mind and soul of our kids is the MOST important thing.
I'm a father of six kids and a bonus dad to two. I'm a superintendent to 700 and a colleague to thousands, in our community, state, and across the nation. Who will join me and use this crisis as a catalyst to create the kind of change that could transform the lives and outcomes for our kids for the next 100 years??

#riseABOVEtheTIDE and #ALLmeansALL could become more than hashtags.....they just might become the story of the North Beach School District.

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