I am excited about our upcoming school year. Classrooms are being cleaned, entry ways polished and parking lots updated.  As we come to the conclusion of July and turn the corner to August there are a variety of areas I am excited about for our upcoming school year.

Facility openings

We are excited to get into our new spaces at the Early Education Center (EEC) and Discovery Middle School.  The opening for our classrooms at the EEC will coincide with the start of the school year. 

Our Shenanigans indoor playground will follow as we look to have that ready by the end of September. Over at Discovery Middle School, we are on target for a November opening for our new gymnastics center and additional gyms for the students at Discovery Middle School. These additional gyms will also provide much needed community recreational space for youths and adults.

The Gymnastics Center will serve both school and community gymnastics teams and provide an opportunity to host regional meets bringing economic value to our community. Both facility additions reduce the district’s reliance on leased space.

Mark your calendars for our facility celebrations:

• Early Education Center Addition - Tuesday, Oct. 11, 4-5 p.m. ribbon cutting; Saturday, Oct. 15, 9 a.m.-noon open house, community invite.
• Discovery Middle School Addition - Tuesday, Nov. 15, 4-5 p.m. ribbon cutting, celebration; Saturday, Nov. 19, 9.a.m.-noon open house, community invite.

New staff

Our hiring process for the upcoming school year started back in February. Thanks to all of the efforts by our Human Resources department, along with our leadership team, to help recruit new staff to help support our students and community. 

We do still have openings in a variety of support positions.  Our district has a great purpose and working with kids brings energy to your day. Check out the district’s Career Opportunities page,  https://alexschools.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx, if you are interested in being a difference-maker in the lives of students.

New experiences

We are excited to offer some additional courses for students at our secondary schools including an elective titled the Great Outdoors at Discovery Middle School. Providing students with authentic experiences is crucial to their motivation.  We also are excited to offer some new courses at Alexandria Area High School  including one that blends business and marketing in a digital age.  

Safety and Security

The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. The district has a strong relationship with our city and county emergency management teams to ensure our Emergency Operations Plan is up-to-date and thorough. Work and collaboration has been taking place this summer and ongoing communication will be shared with our families and community. 

A new beginning

I accepted the superintendent position in February of 2020 and a few weeks later the world shut down due to COVID. I am personally excited about the opportunity to be able to serve as superintendent in what is hopefully a more typical year – where we can change our acronyms from PPE (personal protective equipment) to positive parent engagement.  

The excitement is building…