Âܲ·AVÊÓƵ

My View

When I stepped into the leadership of a school district that had fractured relationships with the local university and borough government, it was clear that rebuilding trust could not happen quietly. It required visible, intentional civic leadership.

I had heard consistent comments about how the district, the university and borough offices seemed disconnected. I decided to make a splashy show of unity in front of families on my first day to set the tone for a new era. I invited our mayor to stand with us on the opening day of school to greet families and students as they arrived at each of our four schools.

Having the mayor, board of education president, principals and superintendent waving to arriving parents and students made a powerful statement. The school district and the borough were not operating in separate worlds. We were united in service of children and families, and that unity needed to be visible.