Open Letter to the Community,
On the day Spring Break finally arrives for our schools, whether we are waiting for a winter storm to blow in or are escaping to warmer climates, the feeling of being lifted out of the weightier days of winter is everywhere. My sincere hope for our families is that they will find time together enjoying one another’s company and making memories that will stay with them, even as the years pass.
When the students return, we know they will be invigorated and ready to make that final push to the end of the school year. This is the wonderful thing about spring. It is filled will new energy and ideas about all the great things that can still be accomplished, even in a short amount of time. Our teachers know that harnessing this renewed energy and channeling it into their students learning will produce great results.
It is with same belief in renewal that Future Focus 203, a community engagement initiative, was launched. Education is in the “spring” of change with the coming of new educational standards and expectations for success in teaching and learning. How we respond as a District and a community is important to our children’s futures.
Future Focus 203 asks all of us – all stakeholders in District 203 – to consider how we will measure success for our students. As we evaluate our students’ progress from pre-kindergarten through graduation into college and/or careers and beyond, by what measures will we know that we have done all that we can to prepare them for a lifetime of success?
The first session of Future Focus 203 was attended by 300+ concerned residents. We hope even more of you will join us for the next sessions on Wednesday evening, April 17 or Thursday morning, April 18. The focus of Session II will be on the subject of educating for life-long learning and measuring success.
We value your input in this discussion. We need parents. We need parents of alumni. We single people and young people. We need business owners and retired neighbors. We need voices from all of our diverse communities. We need all of your input to make the best decisions for the education of all children and the use of our resources.
As Superintendent of District 203, I ask you to join us in this community-led conversation in person, on Facebook at FutureFocus203, and by email or phone calls to futurefocus@naperville203.org or 630-420-6475 (Community Relations Office). More information is available on our web site at www.naperville023.org.
Wishing everyone a great spring and looking forward to seeing you at our community discussions.
Best Regards,
Dan Bridges