Val Verde family,   

I am always amazed at how quickly the summer weeks go by.  I hope that your time away is going well and that you have been able to relax and rejuvenate.  The past two years are regarded by many as the most challenging ever faced by educators. With this said, I continued to be impressed with the service that our employees have provided for our students and community. I am optimistic that the coming year will be less arduous and that we will feel more of a sense of normalcy.  

I am proud of the additional services we have put in place to help support the physical and mental health of our team. The pandemic has taken a toll also on our students and their families. We have responded with additional mental health services, academic interventions, and partnering with our families. Our recovery work is not yet complete. In fact, we must continue to support our students to ensure we are whole learner focused—leaving no learner marginalized. We must also continue to strengthen our support structures so that they align to accomplish our mission of future-ready learners.  

On behalf of the Board of Education, Welcome Back! I am proud and humbled to be part of this family as I begin my twenty-sixth year. We will continue our relentless pursuit of providing a world-class education to our students so that they are college AND career ready and prepared to assume their roles in the 21st Century workforce. As we cast a light on the future, let's continue to work together in making a positive difference in the lives of our students and the communities we serve. Let’s make this the best year yet!