Well we are off and running here in South Western! As you can imagine the last 2 months have been a whirlwind for me and the staff. The start of every school year is a time of anticipation for a wonderful school year and excitement to meet new friends. I have seen both of these first hand as I have visited each school multiple times over these past few months. It is one of my favorite things to do, visit classrooms and witness the outstanding opportunities for our students.
While I have been impressed by many different moments here in South Western; I think some of the most impressive moments were in classrooms where students were challenged by their teacher(s) to think outside the box. Or, when a student works together with a classmate to “tackle” a problem. I have also been impressed by the reimagining of some of the school district's classrooms. Reimagining through flexible seating appearing all across the district. It has been said the classroom design has not changed in a hundred years. Well, I would invite those people to our school district to see some of the innovative ways the seating in our classrooms has changed, inviting students to converse about their learning and the tasks that have been assigned to the class.
One more topic before I end my opening letter to you, the South Western Community. The topic is pride. It has been one of the most palpable feelings I have experienced since my arrival. It started with the excitement at the bus stops when Dr. Hartman and I rode the buses on the first day of school. It was reinforced by the spirit sticks and school building t-shirts worn during sprite week, and one of my favorites, the lip sync challenge held at the HS Pep Rally between the students and the teachers. There is such a feeling of community pride in all we do here in South Western. So, as we continue our journey together this school year, I would ask you to continue your support by showing your pride in our school district and continue your support of our students and teachers, for it is you that drives us all to be the best we can be!
Dr. Jay H. Burkhart
Superintendent (2017-Present)
Responsible for organization and implementation of all programs and personnel. Provide informed professional leadership to board and staff. Oversee selection, deployment, and supervision of all district employees. Lead in development of two-way system of internal and external communications for district. Lead in the development and maintenance of cooperation between schools and community.
Dr. Burkhart's evaluation was completed on September 14, 2022, and he met the objective performance standards in his Contract.