board to board News from the Board of NWESD
A Note from Our Superintendent As the school year rapidly comes to a close, I find myself reflecting back on all that has transpired over the past 10 months across our region, state, and nation. I suppose I’m not alone in feeling unsettled – unsettled by the new ways our schools are funded and the resulting challenges facing educators, students, and school communities; unsettled by the continued disparities in access, opportunity, and outcomes so many of our young people continue to experience; unsettled by a growing sense of “us vs. them” in nearly all facets of life; and unsettled by nagging problems that seem to defy every attempt at a solution. And then every week comes Thursday. That’s the afternoon and evening each week that my wife and I get to spend time with our nearly four year old granddaughter. And that’s the time each week when I get reminded that there is so much more that is right in our world than everything that can seem so wrong. On Thursdays, I get reminded of the joy of seeing the most simple and routine experiences – running through the yard, playing hide and seek, giving piggy back rides, reading stories, coloring pictures, bath time – as opportunities to enjoy life unburdened by all the worries and doubts that can cloud so much of my daily life. Our granddaughter is thankfully oblivious to the world of adult anxieties, and for a few hours each week she gives us the gift of being removed from them as well. I often wonder what it would take to spread this sense of unlimited optimism, endless curiosity, and boundless possibility to the other six and half days of the week? But I know that it’s really all in my mindset – choosing to see the good in the world and those in it; choosing to assume positive intent in others; choosing to approach differences with curiosity and openness over suspicion and cynicism; and choosing to appreciate the gifts I’ve been given rather than resent what seems lacking. So as the days get longer and warmer (isn’t it always easier to be optimistic and positive during spring and summer in our beautiful Northwest region?), I’m recommitting to approaching more of my life and work focusing on what’s good and getting better and less on what seems wrong and frustrating. I encourage you to do the same. And if you find yourself slipping back into deficit thinking, give yourself permission to view the world through the eyes of an almost four year old. Or better yet, spend time with a child and let them remind you of all there is to appreciate and enjoy in your life.
Larry Francois
NWESD Superintendent
May-June 2019