Moving
to a new school district encompases a wide array of emotions and
experiences. Starting over in a new community involves many personal and
professional changes. While it is natural to reflect on the fond
memories and accomplishments of the past, it is enjoyable focusing on
the new opportunities and challenges of the future.
During
my first few weeks in Menomonie I have been excited, nervous, and, in
some cases, overwhelmed. The District Administrator position has so many
responsibilities and extremely high expectations. Thousands of
students, parents, staff members, and community stakeholders are
counting on the school district to provide our children with a rigorous
and well-rounded education. While all public school districts have some
similarities, every school district is unique with its own culture,
characteristics, challenges, and opportunities. With so much to learn
and so much to do, where does one start?
In
my case, I was fortunate to have a little history with the Menomonie
Area School District and this geographic area. Getting to know some
stakeholders through the hiring process and following the school
district through the local media in recent years provided a starting
point. I was also very fortunate that the retiring administrator,
Christine Stratton, was willing to communicate with me over the past few
months as I began to prepare for my transition into the school
district. Since the beginning of May I have been monitoring school board
meetings, communicating with district leaders, and spending time
learning about district policies and procedures.
Like
many organizations, relationships are critical to the success of a
school district. Educating our children is a responsibility too big and
too complex to fall on any one individual. Collaboration, cooperation,
and communication is essential in maintaining a school system that
excels in preparing students for their futures. My calendar has been
packed with meetings, both in and out of the school district. I have
already had several opportunities to talk with many teachers,
administrators, support staff, and school board members. Business and
community leaders, parents, and community members have been very
welcoming and more than willing to fit meeting with me into their busy
schedules. I have attended meetings with the Menomonie Rotary Club and
the Greater Menomonie Development Corporation, and I have met with
representatives from the Boys and Girls Club, local law enforcement
officials, UW-Stout, and my superintendent colleagues from the other
school districts in Dunn County.
Overall,
I have been very impressed with the local school district and
community. Everyone with whom I have spoken has demonstrated a desire to
provide the children in Menomonie with a high quality educational
experience that will prepare them for their futures. The value that
Menomonie stakeholders place on education and the desire to work
collaboratively to accomplish this goal is quite encouraging.
My
family and I have completed our move from Cadott to Menomonie, and we
have already enjoyed attending Freedom Fest and taking advantage of many
of the wonderful attributes that Menomonie has to offer, such as the
water park, the bike trail, and the local businesses and restaurants. We
have been blessed by the kindness of many new neighbors, and we look
forward to making Menomonie our home. I hope that this column will serve
as a way to keep school district stakeholders informed regarding our
school district, but I also invite you to visit the Administrative
Service Center on Pine Avenue or contact me at 715-232-1642 if you have
any questions or concerns about our schools. I will also maintain a blog
on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and I regularly post school-related information on Twitter (www.twitter.com/joezydowsky).