Dear District 65 Community -

On Monday, our school board and administration engaged in a difficult, yet productive conversation on the district’s financial challenges. In an effort to be transparent, I shared an executive summary in advance of this important discussion.

My message today is to reaffirm a shared commitment to our community. It is my deepest desire to do right by the children of Evanston/Skokie, and I know that sentiment is shared by our school board, administrators, educators, and support staff. There are amazing things happening all across District 65 and we have so much to be proud of! We remain deeply committed to providing a robust, high quality education for the children of this community. We will not sacrifice quality or opportunity for our students.

Since accepting the honor of serving as superintendent, I have felt a profound sense of urgency because I know we have extremely limited time with our students. When our babies walk in the door at the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center or for the first day of kindergarten, the clock starts ticking. From preK-8, they are in our care for just over 11,000 hours.

When I think of all that our educators, school leaders, and support staff have to teach our children - from learning math skills to being a good human - it’s a lot. I could not be more grateful and appreciative of their efforts. However, we must ensure that every moment is worthwhile and that EVERY child feels ready to take on the world when they walk out our doors for the last time. Our babies deserve nothing less. 

You can tune into Monday’s meeting and review the presentation. I want to be clear that my team and I remain 100% committed to our stated goals. This is not about letting up on the gas. It’s actually about doubling down and being even more intentional to ensure that we not only address the challenges that lie before us but that we can be a beacon for student success - a true lighthouse district.

I am confident that in D65 we have: the brightest and most caring team of educators, administrators, and support staff; rigorous curriculum that is nearly standards-aligned across content areas; and a commitment to equitable outcomes that will uplift each and every student.

At my Listen & Learn sessions with our staff and community, one of my three guiding questions is, “If you had a magic wand and could change any one thing about your school or District 65, what would it be?” From my perspective and also what I have seen since beginning here, what we are missing in D65 is systems, structures, and processes - particularly at the district level. This is what will allow us to best serve our community and ultimately be more efficient and cost effective.

I am committed to working to ensure that we have clearly defined processes, well articulated expectations, connection to resources, efficiencies that maximize productivity, and, most importantly, that we can say with confidence that the work that we are doing is having a positive impact on every child. Academically and socially emotionally, student growth must be the indicator for our success.

We are deeply invested in developing a budget that is student centered and ensures we are living within our means. I am confident that we can provide a world class education AND maintain financial sustainability. Under my leadership, our district will continue to be transparent, communicative, and have systems for continuous improvement and organizational growth.

We have tough decisions ahead and the change we all desire is not going to happen overnight. Yet, I believe in holding myself and our leadership accountable. This means continuously monitoring and refining our path until we achieve our goals. Anything less is unacceptable. I am confident that we’ve assembled the right team to lead this important work on behalf of our students. This includes new and veteran staff.

While the path ahead may have some bumps, what I can assure you is that we will do everything possible to ensure our schools will be joyful places of learning where every educator and staff member wants to work and every parent/guardian feels confident in their children’s education.

It is my hope for the future that gives me joy in my present. The future is bright if we continue to work together and keep our students at the heart of all we do. Best wishes for a wonderful school year filled with laughter, learning, and a true sense of community. Welcome back, District 65!