“Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain

Dear District 109 Staff, Parents, Grandparents and Community Members,

 On behalf of the Board of Education and the leadership team of District 109, I want to express our appreciation to all of you for contributing to this amazing community of teachers, learners and leaders.

 How lucky we are that some of the most talented, professional, effective and caring educators work in our classrooms and offices, and that our buildings sit in the heart of a community that constantly displays its support for those schools, the staff and students in them, and public education as a whole.

 Teachers and staff: Thank you for being leading learners and the most inspiring educators. You show such in a strong commitment to continuous growth — your own professional growth, and your students’ growth as learners and as people. Your dedication and hard work put the children in this community on the path to college and career readiness and life success. We are also thankful for your emphasis on digital citizenship, decision making and social emotional learning. With a safe emotional environment, we can support achievement and learning.

 Parents, thank you for sending us children who are eager to tackle the challenges — and join the fun — that they encounter in their classrooms every day.  In allowing them to face those challenges, you build resilient, self-reliant citizens who are grateful for the guidance of the adults in their lives. More and more, we are fortunate to enjoy the participation of grandparents in our schools as well, so a special thanks to that generation of supporters! Thanks, too, to our community members and civic leaders who make supporting local schools a priority.

 I am so thankful that all of us, together, are creating a high-achieving and highly caring educational environment that is a model for other communities to follow. This spring, we will begin strategic planning that will allow us to cement our vision of the future for how our schools will continue to engage, inspire, and empower each and every person to the best of their abilities each and every day. We, of course, will ask for input from all you; look for more details in early 2016.

Sincerely,