October 4, 2022, Staff Update: Successful Opening of Schools
Dear Colleagues,
Thank you for the work you have done to ensure we had a successful opening of schools and first month of the 2022-2023 school year. As I have visited schools across the county, I have seen clean facilities and well-groomed campuses, buses transporting students safely to and from school, and spoken with teachers and staff excited to be back in their buildings. I have also seen students deeply engaged in learning and participating in a variety of activities despite ongoing staffing shortages. We are fortunate to work in a school system where staff members – school-based and central office- prioritize student needs and are willing to shift gears when our students need us.
The experiences of the last two years greatly impacted school system operations. The work to reestablish consistent procedures and practices and return to a sense of normalcy after a significant period of disruption and change is ongoing. However, our school-based and central office teams have laid the groundwork for what I know will be a year of positive engagement and academic excellence. I am proud to say that every day we are seeing strong evidence of the impact of that preparation and teamwork.
This year, our theme is Moving Forward: Together Again and our strategic plan, The Compass, guides us and lays out our pathway to excellence. We remain laser-focused on the priorities outlined in the Compass:
- Learning, Accountability, and Results
- Safe and Supportive Environments
- High Performing Workforce and Alignment of Human Capital
- Community Engagement and Partnerships; and
- Operational Excellence
Our goal is to prepare each child to graduate ready for college and career. Our Teaching and Learning Framework clearly outlines five core beliefs to meet student needs. Our work is to provide the necessary supports from preschool through high school that will deliver on this promise. We do not take this lightly and are committed to providing steadfast support for one another while being firm on accountability and getting results.
Baltimore County Public Schools' data analysis shows widening student performance gaps beginning in 2010. Collectively, we must close these significant gaps and raise the bar through continued collaboration and focus. This summer, school teams took a deeper dive into student academic and climate data to set goals for the year. School leaders analyzed student progress and areas of opportunity to create tailor-made plans with specific outcomes and professional learning.
Schools have been trained on how to use data tools, implement curriculum, and analyze assessment results. Rigorous structures have been implemented to monitor, evaluate, and course correct as needed. We are committed to balancing opportunities for enrichment and support to meet the unique needs of each student. When student needs are unmet, we will use the data to find out why and decide what we need to do differently to meet their needs. This is important and difficult work.
The period of time from March 2020 through 2022 exacerbated long standing student needs in the areas of academics and social emotional well- being. We will work with school teams to create the climate and conditions conducive to success by empowering all voices. It will take all of us to improve conditions in BCPS. To ensure teachers prioritize teaching and learning, we have worked with union partners and non-represented staff to examine and improve work conditions by implementing remote work options, built in breaks, additional compensation for direct school support, and expanded access to wellness resources. This year, we cut school-based meetings in half in addition to scheduling early release days for staff. With the support of the Board of Education, County Executive and County Council funding partners, we were able to work together to ensure that BCPS employees are paid well. My team and I will continue to work with school leaders to reinforce expectations to our community and identify ways to protect and preserve classroom instruction.
We know that students are more likely to succeed when schools, families and communities work together in partnership to maximize and support student learning. Building community requires collective commitment and accountability. This summer we had our inaugural partnership fair where stakeholders came together to discuss how they could support students and families. Last week, our first BCPS partnership spotlight newsletter was shared with more than 520 community partners. We will continue regular and deliberate outreach to bring our community leaders, volunteers, and mentors into school buildings to support our students.
It is my hope that as I share information about school system initiatives and celebrations throughout the year, you will be inspired by the many examples of staff and student excellence and encouraged by the positive progress BCPS is making in key areas. We are grateful for a positive opening and are looking forward to a great year marked by the growth, well-rounded development, and academic achievements of each BCPS student.
With great appreciation,
Darryl L. Williams, Ed.D.
Superintendent