Pages

Search This Blog

Thursday, January 16, 2014

This Afternoon's Announcement

Thank you, all, for your presence and support this afternoon. I know that Dr. Riss will work diligently to find a suitable, and perhaps better, leader for Hixson, and I know your input will be valuable to this.

Following is the transcript that I did not read of my announcement:

Good afternoon.

As the principal of Hixson Middle School, I believe strongly in the strengths and talents we bring together as a part of this community, and I know that I have learned a great deal about teaching, about learning, about leading, and about myself as the principal for this school.  I want to thank you for all the ways you have contributed to this.

I am announcing this afternoon that this semester will be my last as the principal of Hixson Middle School. Unfortunately, there is no good time to make such an announcement, and I appreciate that you are present to hear it today.  Effective July 1st, 2014, I will begin serving as the Head of an independent school in the City of St. Louis called Crossroads College Preparatory School.

As I said at the very beginning of the year, you matter to our students, their families, to one another, and to me.  This has not changed, and I continue to have great expectations for our students, for you, and for the entire Hixson community.

Thank you for your time and your attention.

As I wrote in my winter letter, our short-term wins this year are truly valuable for the learners at Hixson.  I hope you are proud of your work, and I hope that you believe your skills and commitment make our school and our learning better.  Dr. Riss and the Board of Education have expressed their appreciation of and support for our efforts with Marzano, with technology, with Discovery, with RtI, and with Rachel’s Challenge.  Much of this work and its success is the result of your commitment and your leadership.

Therefore, we will continue refining RtI and Discovery, we will continue planning for a 1:1 beginning, at least, in 7th grade next year, we will continue our target acts of kindness, and we will continue to learn and implement what we know of good teaching as measured by iObservation and the work of Marzano.  Dr. Riss and I have discussed this. Your voices, captured on my wall and in our School Improvement Plan, will continue to inspire my work as principal even as the district, and you, search for whomever (perhaps more detailed, perhaps better in any number of ways) will serve as the proud principal of Hixson Middle School next year.

With great expectations,
Jason


No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.