Message from the Assistant Superintendent

Message from the Assistant Superintendent

We are definitely off to another great school year in the Forest Grove School District! Students and staff are back in classes and the fall sports season is well underway. A positive feeling was clearly evident at the District Welcome and at our various Back To School Nights. We are excited to welcome this year’s crop of new teachers and staff that have joined our FGSD family!  

This is the first edition of the 2018-19 District Staff Newsletter which will come out on a monthly basis. The purpose of these publications is to support and communicate the great work going on throughout the year as we work toward meeting the priorities Superintendent Dave Parker outlined in his Welcome Back Address: 1)  Build A Positive Culture; 2) Improve Instructional Practice; and 3) Create Clarity - What Good Instruction Looks Like in our District.

I have been tasked with leading the development of the Instructional Vision for our district. This work will continue throughout this school year with the new Instructional Vision and a developed communications plan ready to go for the fall of 2019. We have several district initiatives currently underway in our district but we need to narrow down the focus so that every teacher knows what is expected of them and what good teaching looks like in our district. This will include the evidence based practices we are employing in classrooms and schools across the district that improve learning outcomes for all students. This is the primary work ahead for this year with regards to teaching and learning. Further, I will employ a process that will involve teacher leaders, students, parents, principals and district administrators to help craft and build support for this shared Instructional Vision.

In summary, I too look forward to the year ahead with much excitement and enthusiasm! This month’s issue contains a few timely articles that communicate and support the current work underway to foster higher levels of student learning to ensure every child has the skills and the opportunities to achieve their dreams.

Sincerely,

John O’Neill Jr.

Assistant Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer