“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
– Winston Churchill

I often write about change, the need for change, and for innovation in schools. The model of public education under which we operate was born in an era long gone. It was designed by people long gone. It worked for an economy long gone.

Last year I had a life-changing, impactful experience helping change the situation for people in the Dominican Republic on the LifeTouch 2016 Memory Mission Trip. I and many others had the honor of helping to build a school for people in an area where none had existed (beyond 4th grade). That school is almost open! That school is just about to change the equation for life and culture and society forever. I was able to see, hear, and feel what change is. I was able to be part of something way larger than me! I am still humbled at the fact I was able to serve so many in such an impactful and meaningful way.

For the past quarter century I have been fortunate to engage in public education. I’ve been a teacher (in both English and Spanish), a social studies coordinator, an associate principal, a principal, an assistant superintendent; and now as a superintendent I serve.

I and my colleagues have dedicated our lives and professional careers serving children, teachers, and communities. We study, we read, we experience reality in the classrooms, we know what needs to be done! What we don’t know we learn – what we don’t understand we figure out – what we know is that “zip code based educational practices are unfair”.

Our nation was founded on the principles that all men are created equal – well it’s time for all schools to be brought up to the highest of standards and results so all educational opportunities can be equal – level up is what I believe – rigor is what I believe – meaningful, viable, and differentiated curriculum is what I believe!

I’m proud of the many innovations in District 109! I’m proud of the courage of the public, Board, leadership team, teachers, students, partners, and everyone with whom we work in making a new reality for our local public education. Over the past four years we have changed more than perhaps had changed in the preceding 50 years. As a result, we now have the best learning spaces in many of our schools – we select the best teachers in all of our schools – and clearly we have an abundance of resources in all of our schools!

Our reality in Deerfield is such that we can change, innovate and improve for the future.

We must – it’s a sense of urgency in Deerfield as well as all over the nation. Thank you for your continued interest in our story and the support for our continued “Challenge the Process” attitude.

In order to stay up to date we join professional organizations, we study the latest research and train our staff to implement evidence based practices, and we share what we have tried, what has failed, our learnings from that which we tried again, and stories of how we have suceceeded.

One modern source of inspiration is TED talks. Please take the time to listen to courageous and successful leader Dr. Geoff Canada.

This TED Talk from Dr. Geoffrey Canada is a “must watch” and then a “must act” video message – as Canada says, we must REFUSE to let any child fail!

Who is Geoffrey Canada:
From: Bio information about Dr. Canada

Why you should listen
Geoffrey Canada grew up in an impoverished neighborhood in the South Bronx, with a mother who believed deeply in education. So upon getting his degree from Bowdoin College and continuing on to a masters in education from Harvard, Canada dedicated himself to working with kids in poor neighborhoods. In 1983, he accepted a position at the Rheedlen Institute in Harlem as education director. Seven years later, he became president and renamed it the Harlem Children’s Zone.

While the Harlem Children’s Zone started out focusing on a single block — West 119th Street — it has since expanded exponentially. It now encompasses more than 100 square blocks and serves an estimated 10,000 children, providing pre-kindergarten care, after-school programs, health care, college planning and classes for soon-to-be-parents.

Meanwhile, Canada has become known nationally for his work, appearing on shows as diverse as Oprah and This American Life. The recipient of the first Heinz Award in 1994, Canada was named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News and World Report in 2005 and, in 2011, he was listed as one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. Both Canada and Harlem Children’s Zone figured prominently in the 2010 documentary Waiting for Superman. And President Barack Obama’s Promise Neighborhoods program was modeled after HCZ, offering grants to programs in 21 cities across the country to try and emulate its success.

So now what are we going to do about this?

As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions, ideas, and conversation!

In District 109 we are engaged in Strategic Planning right now. Working with national expert ECRA Group we have held focus groups with stakeholders, interviews with Board members, and a survey is forthcoming.

I hope every member of the DPS109 community takes the time to complete the survey. We’re seeking the input of our community – it is a cooperative endeavor to run public schools. Looking forward to the next few years in our district I am confident that the innovations, change process, and overall improvements will leave a lasting legacy for decades to come!