IT ALL STARTS WITH VISION
Superintendent’s Corner – August 7, 2023
Greeting RSU 67 staff, families, students, and community members:
In just over 3 weeks from today, the doors of Ella P. Burr, Mattanawcook Junior High School, and Mattanawcook Academy will again open to students and families, signaling the official start of the 2023-2024 school. I hope that you have all had a fantastic summer. While schools have been closed since the middle of June, it has been a very busy summer. For the new school year, you will find many improvements around the district which include a newly paved parking lot and entrance to Mattanawcook Academy, new heating units in both Ella P. Burr and Mattanawcook Junior High School, updated tile floors at Mattanawcook Academy, expanded playground fencing behind Ella P. Burr, and fully refurbished wood floors on the top floor of Mattanawcook Junior High School. The District Office has officially relocated to 25 Airport Road in Lincoln, and by the end of this week, we hope to have the two large District Office portables that are next to Ella P. Burr removed from the property. This will eventually allow us to expand the playground, entrance, and parking lot near the back side of the school. Finally, as the new year begins, several new staff members have joined the district over the spring and summer and they are excited to begin working with you. With all the improvements to our facilities and the addition of several outstanding new staff members, it is going to be a wonderful school year.
As we prepare for the opening of schools, I am especially excited about the implementation of our new strategic plan that was approved and adopted by the School Board last spring. This strategic plan was developed by teachers, administrators, community members, and members of the School Board, utilizing input that we received from RSU No. 67 students, families, parents, staff, and community members. Our strategic plan represents a roadmap to the future, anchored by a new district vision: “RSU No. 67 strives to excite and inspire learning through a rigorous, relevant, and future-focused curriculum that empowers students to be active participants, critical thinkers, and problem solvers who are well prepared to pursue their aspiration.” The 2023-2024 school year will start with vision and we are excited to begin the work with all of you.
The first day of school is just around the corner with grades PreK – 9 starting on Wednesday, August 30th, and then all students attending on Thursday, August 31st. We hope that you and your families can enjoy these last few weeks of summer to the fullest.
We hope to see you all very soon!
Until next time…
Paul Austin
Superintendent of Schools