There is power in a common language. When we, as an organization, use the same language to define our values, our behavior, and our outcomes, we are aligned. Using a common language cannot be overstated in achieving organizational efficiency and reducing stress. When everyone in an organization can communicate effectively and clearly with one another, it leads to a more cohesive and productive workplace. Misunderstandings and errors can be avoided, and goals can be achieved more efficiently. A common language also helps build camaraderie and shared understanding among team members, which can improve morale and reduce stress.

Having a common language can also be beneficial when working with our parents and creates a community. We facilitate clear communication and help to avoid misunderstandings, which can ultimately lead to more successful partnerships. By promoting clear communication, a common language can encourage teamwork, boost morale, and ultimately lead to greater success in achieving organizational goals.

As the school year draws to a close, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for everything our teachers do for our students. Our teachers' dedication, passion, and hard work makes a difference in their lives and helps shape their futures. Our teachers go above and beyond to ensure our students receive the best education and support possible.

I am constantly in awe of our teachers' commitment to the district and their daily impact. Teachers are pillars of our community; under their skilled efforts, our students thrive and reach their full potential. The unwavering dedication to high-quality instruction is inspiring, and we cannot thank them enough for everything they do.

Please take time to thank our teachers for their efforts. As your superintendent, I am honored to work alongside such a fantastic group of educators.

Food Pantry Partnership

The Dublin City School District is committed to supporting the Dublin Food Pantry, recognizing its critical role in serving our community's diverse needs. As a district, we understand the importance of ensuring that our students have access to basic needs, including food, to learn and succeed. We are proud to partner with the Dublin Food Pantry and to contribute proceeds from our annual Dodgeball Tournament to this critical cause.  

The Dublin Food Pantry serves a vital role in our community, providing nutritious food to individuals and families struggling to make ends meet. For many of our families, the pantry is a critical resource, helping to ensure that they have access to the food they need to learn and grow. We are grateful for the pantry's work and are committed to supporting their efforts to help our community thrive.

The school board leadership in Dublin City Schools is crucial in ensuring that the district provides the best education for its students. The Board plays a critical role in ensuring that the district's resources are used effectively and efficiently to achieve student outcomes. Effective school board leadership helps to establish a clear vision for the district, sets policies that align with that vision, and ensures that those policies are effectively implemented. Our Board provides accountability to the community by ensuring that the district meets its goals and objectives. The newly adopted Journey 2030 Strategic Plan aligns policy, vision, resource allocations, and accountability for our district. It is our North Star.

Our diversity is a strength on our school board. A diverse board can bring various perspectives and experiences to the table, which can help the district better understand and address the needs of its students and community. Our board members communicate and collaborate effectively, even when disagreeing on specific issues. In these often divisive times, mutual respect is critical for effective school board leadership. Disagreements are inevitable, but board members maintain a professional and respectful tone when discussing and debating issues. Building trust through positive relationships is essential for effective governance and ensuring that the district meets all its stakeholders' needs. We are proud of our Board's leadership; we are committed to a continued focus on student learning as we prepare every student for success.

Community Conversations Make us Better Together

The Dublin City School District "Community Conversations" are essential for engaging with the constituents and building stronger relationships between schools, families, and the wider community. These conversations provide a platform for stakeholders to share their perspectives, concerns, and ideas about our schools and to work together to embrace our "always growing" value. By engaging in open and honest dialogue with community members, school district officials can gain valuable insights into the needs and priorities of the community and develop policies and strategies that better serve everyone.  

Community engagement is critical to effective school district leadership for the Board and administrative team. When school leaders actively listen to and engage with community members, they demonstrate a commitment to creating a school system that reflects the values and needs of the community. By seeking input and feedback from parents, students, teachers, and other stakeholders, school district officials build trust, foster collaboration, and create a sense of ownership and shared responsibility for the school system's success. Schools and communities create a more inclusive, responsive, and successful education system that benefits everyone. As we live through our values, "we are better together."

In the upcoming school year, we will adjust our Community Conversation schedule to create additional opportunities for working constituents and teacher input. We embrace the journey and continue to develop opportunities for improvement. It's in our DNA in Dublin, preparing students for success demands, and we evolve with the times.

Business partnerships, and our district's Business Advisory Council, play a vital role in a Dublin Schools education. For our district, these partnerships provide access to resources, expertise, and opportunities that would be difficult or impossible to obtain otherwise. Options such as internships, mentorship programs, and more set Dublin apart from other districts. By partnering with businesses, we gain valuable insights into the workforce needs of our community and create programs to meet student needs better. We prepare students for the job market and ensure that Dublin graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge employers seek.

Our schools provide businesses an opportunity to give back to the community and invest in the future workforce. These partnerships create a pipeline of skilled workers ready to step into jobs in industries in high demand. By working closely with Dublin City Schools, businesses also help to shape the direction of education and ensure that it is aligned with the needs of the industry. Partnerships create a more cohesive and effective educational system that produces well-prepared graduates for the workforce. Our partnerships between businesses and our local school district are essential for creating a robust and competitive workforce that can drive economic growth and innovation. Our partnerships truly ensure that every student has the opportunity to be prepared for success.

Alignment Leads to Student Success

Cultural alignment is the degree to which our district shares and lives the same values, beliefs, and desired outcomes. Achieving cultural alignment is critical for us, as it creates a cohesive and productive learning environment where everyone is motivated, engaged, and committed to student success. Cultural alignment helps our district attract and retain the best teachers and staff, as it demonstrates that our district's values align with their own.

Moreover, cultural alignment plays a crucial role in shaping our Dublin brand. When the education community is aligned with a shared culture, we are more likely to uphold the community values and standards and represent the brand positively. This, in turn, builds the school’s credibility and builds trust with our parents, the community, and business stakeholders. 

Finally, cultural alignment is essential for achieving strategic goals and driving growth. Alignment leads to innovation, higher productivity, and increased student performance. When everyone is aligned with the district's vision and values, we work towards shared objectives and collaborate effectively to achieve them.

Our school is a community of learners, educators, and parents. As a community, we share many common goals and expectations. There are many more things that bind us together than pull us apart. We must develop and regularly use common language to discuss and describe the work we do in our school.  

The power of common language rests in building trust and providing clarity. When we have identified our core values and use common language to describe those values, our behavior is aligned. Common language, and clarity grounded in consistency, removes friction and improve efficiency. 

Our district’s core values - Take Responsibility, Always Growing, and Better Together - are part of daily language. Our R-Factor tools, with Press Pause, Get your Mind Right, and Step Up, provide a consistent vocabulary to discuss strategies for responding to events in our world.  

Yesterday I had one of "those mornings." I seemingly woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I just knew it wasn't going to be a good day.

When I took the dog out for a morning walk, it started to rain. It was going to be a rough day.

I was tired and didn't want to do my workout. It was the start of, as Judith Viorst shared in a children's book about Alexander, a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

When I started my swim workout, I began to think about everything on my calendar - all the meetings and obligations ahead of me. While swimming, I quickly became aware of my negative self-talk - my defeatist attitude. I needed to fix my mindset. It didn't need to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I had the power to make it a good day.

Whether a teacher or a superintendent, your mindset impacts dozens, potentially hundreds, or even thousands of children daily. My negative mood changes conversations, decisions, and culture if I am undisciplined or lazy in my mindset.  

I get to choose my mindset each morning - so do you. We make every interaction better when we are intentional in our self-talk and live with a positive attitude.

In the Dublin Schools, we don’t BCD. We don’t blame, complain, or defend in our daily lives. BCD has never solved a problem, improved a situation, or led to success.  

Yes, we identify problems and opportunities to improve. Sure, we share frustrations and failures. And yes, there are times each of us takes a chance to vent about something nagging us. Nevertheless, when we are at our best and most disciplined, we intentionally avoid BCD.

Instead of complaining, we strive to create solutions. We see a challenge or problem and work together to fix it. When answers are more complex, we collaborate to explore innovative options.  

We’ve been exploring ways to provide critical mental health support for our students and families. We know the wait to schedule a counseling appointment for students and families may take several months. In many cases, when a parent is searching for professional support, the doors are all closed. As a school community, we get to create solutions rather than admire the current reality.

The past several years, exacerbated by disruptions caused by Covid, have highlighted the need for partnership with families and wrap-around support. We are proud that the Dublin City School district is partnering with the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University to train current Dublin teachers to earn a Master's Degree in Social Work. With dollars provided to respond to the pandemic, our district will add up to 25 specialists to support our families and students.  

Living our core value, Better Together, our district is once again creating solutions for the Dublin Community and serving as a model for other districts.