A Good Time to Pause, Reflect, Plan

President's Corner

A beautiful part of working in public schools is being able to start fresh every new school year. I have the fondest memories of the newness of it all as a student: the crisp new binders, fresh packets of loose-leaf paper or composition books, newly sharpened pencils and the fun of shopping for new school clothes.

That feeling of newness still exists for superintendents. At the start of each new school year, we have the opportunity to pause for a moment, take a deep breath, reflect on the year that has gone by and rethink and focus on our mission going forward.

The start of the school year is the opportunity to begin a new leg of our journey. We get to step back and take a broad look at where we were and where we are headed and to develop a plan to get where we are going. When these pieces come together, the tapestry of public education comes to life, and we are able to see the beautiful work of art that has been created over the years.

Every school year is full of distractions, and these past few years are no exception. Without an opportunity to pause, reflect, plan and regain focus on the mission, we simply end up in an arbitrary place absent of intention and purpose. It is like climbing a mountain in a packed national park. While the beginning of the climb is crowded and full of diversions, with every step up, our view becomes clearer, our minds less cloudy and the mission more evident. By the time we reach the summit, the clarity of the vision is revealed as a magnificent composition.

As superintendents, our focus is on the mission. What is learning? What does it look like when it is authentic, expert, meaningful and filled with joy? What elements do we weave together to create that tapestry?

As I reflect on the excitement and joy I felt as a young child in the freshness of the new school year, I cannot help noticing that much has stayed the same. While some of that consistency is a good thing, such as the excitement and promise of new beginnings, it is not all positive — the world has changed since I was an elementary school student, but much of our education system has not. How can we con-temporize what we do in classrooms to bolster the learning process and make it relevant in 2023?

There is much to discuss and explore on this topic. AASA’s Learning 2025 initiative is focused on this conversation: Which school systems are doing not simply better than before but different than before? It is time we examine the feasibility of continuing practices that guided public schools decades ago.

Is seat time still relevant? Is student understanding cultivated by learning in silos? How do we involve experiences outside the walls of the classroom to provide enriched experiences and opportunities for learning?

If we teach what is measured, what are we not measuring that is worth teaching? If we understand and value the craft of reading and arithmetic, is a single point in time using one metric the best way to measure success? If we believe students learn and demonstrate that learning differently, are we ensuring that all students can demonstrate that learning?

As educators and as leaders, we hold a tremendous responsibility to ensure our current educational practices respond to the needs of our students and respond to the advances available to all of us. While we focus on Learning 2025, we must be future-focused and ready for Learning 2035. It is the elements of this tapestry, once woven together, that will better our students and public education, and ensure a future that is bright for all.