August 2, 2022
Greetings RSU # 67 families, staff, students, and communities!

As we have turned the page of our calendar from July to August, I hope that this communication finds you all well, staying cool, and taking advantage of all that our region has to offer during these warm summer days. As August is now upon us, the opening of the 2022-2023 school year is just about 4 weeks away. For me, my excitement for a new school year has never been higher! We all know that the past two and a half years have been incredibly challenging, but I believe that we have turned the corner and that better days are ahead of us. We must learn from what the past years have taught us, but my commitment to you is to focus on the future of RSU No. 67. This is an exciting time and I have no doubt that 2022-2023 will be an amazing year for our entire school community!

It has been a very busy and productive summer in RSU No. 67.  I want to thank all of our summer educators, support staff, bus/van drivers, and administrators for an exceptional and successful summer learning program. I also want to thank our students and families for their positive attitudes, dedication, and regular attendance. You are the reason why we are here and we are proud of how hard you have worked this summer. In addition, there are many other individuals such as bus mechanics, technology staff, food services, custodians, grounds keepers, clerks, and secretaries who work throughout the summer and are essential to our daily operations. We simply could not do what we do without them and their work is very much appreciated.

Over the summer, the district has been fortunate to hire many exceptional teachers and support staff. At the district office, we welcomed Rick Whitney as our new Director of Transportation and Facilities, and Ann Sutherland, our new Coordinator of Special Services. At this time, our district still needs bus drivers (we will train you), support staff, substitutes, teachers, and guidance counselors/social workers for our schools. If you, or someone you know is interested in applying for a position in RSU No. 67, please visit our website for a list of current openings and/or contact Rose Clark at rclark@rsu67.org for more information.

In the weeks to come, our administrative team will be working collaboratively to prepare for our opening days in August and to establish focused, measurable performance goals for the school year. As the safety and security of our school community is our top priority, District Administration, in collaboration with the Lincoln Police Department, will be holding a two-day school safety and security summit. During the summit, our administrative team will participate in emergency response training, review and revise school/district emergency plans as appropriate, and plan for staff/community training in the months to come.

There is still much to be done before the opening of schools, but I am confident that our administrators, educators, and support staff are all up to the task. I wish you all a wonderful remainder of the summer and I look forward to personally welcoming each of you back to school in just about 4 weeks.

Until next time...

Paul Austin, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools