End of Year

Embrace, Engage, and Empower each child for success in an ever-changing world. This mission was crafted two years ago by a group of stakeholders to renew our commitment to educational excellence and our students of HPS. Little did we know that impact of these words in application today.

As I sit this evening in reflection of the school year on the evening of our last day of 2019-2020, I am struck by the extraordinary efforts of each of you to support our students. 

We have addressed everything from students appropriately finding their voice and exercising free speech, race relations, navigating remote learning platforms, maintaining relationships via Zoom, social distancing during a global pandemic, and yes, even the dreaded mosquitoes that impacted after school activities last fall. You were quick to think, problem-solve, and step into leadership and volunteer roles when needed.

There are so many stories that could be told here, that are directly connected to our core values that have been lived out each and every day this year. These stories remind me of why I am #hpsproud. From a drive-in commencement, to providing nearly 190,000 meals since March 16, to show and tell sessions on Zoom, you did it all with grace. Thank you!

I know that this has not been the school year that anyone expected. We haven’t had the closure needed to process what this all means for our students, our colleagues, or ourselves. For the linear thinkers, we have been challenged even more with the inability to prepare for and finalize plans for the coming year.

However, We will continue forward despite the challenges that lie ahead. That’s just what public educators do! That’s what HPS does.

Our social media presence, positive stories, and perception of HPS has never been better in recent years. People are paying attention. Others are seeking to learn from you. That is the best form of a compliment ever!

I would be remiss in not mentioning that there are more unknowns than knowns at this point as we look to the future. We have a national/state budget crisis that is dependent on schools getting back into session. Please know that the BOE and I will continue to prioritize our core mission and instructional services to the highest degree of integrity possible. There are difficult decisions ahead. Our commitment is to keep you informed as quickly as possible as we receive information and decisions are made.

In the interim, it is important this summer more than ever to take care of yourself and each other. The next school year will likely be one of continuous change requiring nimble thinking and agile actions. A team of nearly 100 are working to plan for this and the support needed of everyone. I hope that you find a level of comfort in this work and level of engagement.

Thank you again, for all that you did during an extraordinary year. It is a pleasure to serve with you.

Brian