SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE

As we embark on launching an era of “Advancing Educational Excellence through Innovation”, we are reminded that the climate and culture in our society affects the climate and culture in our schools. We can only realize the Capital School District’s strategic goals for Our Schools, Our Children, and Our Future with everyone’s help We must have a collective responsibility to accept that inaction is no longer an option for students, educators, and parents within the community, if we are committed to high levels of learning for all students. As a result, we should expect:

• more student voice

• more teacher leadership

• more opportunities to empower parentsand

• an evolving culture that incubates care withcreativity. Schools are managing the realities of a world that is in recovery. Everyone needs healing time to recover, yet some seem surprised by the unfolding trauma that is happening- in our homes, in our communities, and in ourschools

If we are to advance educational excellence through innovation, we need care, equity, and partnerships that are bottom up and top down. However, I urge everyone that we must start with incubating a culture that can support the success of our new vision, mission, and core values. As we continue our journey, we must find ways to significantly improve outcomes while eliminating barriers to learning for both students and adults. We must respect the significance of STEAM and artificial intelligence without losing sight of the importance of the human component. We must recognize that our achievements will be realized through intentional reciprocal partnerships. Victory occurs when we do things that benefit all involved. We must all accept and create new ways to enact our mission, vision, and core values We must adopt “a collective moral imperative” when it comes to Our Schools, Our Children, and OurFuture.

U. S. Secretary of Education Cardona said “Raise the Bar: Lead the World...prepare our students for a world where global engagement is critical to our nation’s standing.” This is why educational reform needs innovative cross-sectional partnerships, 21st-century learning paradigms that embrace artificial intelligence, and bold actions that dismantle inequities.

As one of Governor Carney’s Compassionate Champion Districts, we will continue to embrace social emotional and behavioral supports to address the intensive needs of students and adults However, we should expect more equity efforts that consider the unique needs of our gifted and talented students. We should expect more non-traditional approaches to engaging early learners that consider the impact of playful learning We should expect more STEAM and work-based experiences that honor the needs expressed by business leaders. We should expect transformational parent empowerment programs aligned with our goals to significantly improve studentachievement.

As we move forward, I want to reiterate that Senator Pride will continue to be the cornerstone of our efforts as we boldly reimagine learning together. Schools need everyone at the table as we lead academic recovery efforts for Our Schools, Our Children, and Our Future, holding steadfast to advancing educational excellence throughinnovation.

In closing, I want to thank our staff for their tireless efforts every day. I want to acknowledge the 900+ stakeholders who participated in our Senator Pride Conversations to drive the strategic planning process. The Capital School District is on the rise, and we will continue to be the Heartbeat of the First State by setting the rhythm for others tofollow.

With Senator Pride,

Dr. Vilicia Cade CEO and Superintendent