August 22, 2022
Greetings RSU 67 staff, students, and families,
The countdown to the first day of the 2022-2023 school year has entered its final week and in just a few days, RSU 67 schools will officially begin the new school year. Its back to school time! As this is my final “countdown edition” of the Superintendent’s Corner, I want to take this opportunity to share some thoughts about the year ahead. My focus for this year is “RSU 67 Community Pride” in which I use the word “PRIDE” as an acronym to illustrate what I believe to be the essential components for achieving the district mission. “PRIDE” stands for Purpose, Resilient, Innovative, Diversified, and Equitable.
Purpose: In RSU 67, we share a common purpose in achieving the district mission of “Empowering Learners for Today and Tomorrow.” Our mission has to be more than a catchy phrase, it has to be a call to action. Our students are at the center of all we do and meeting their needs is our top priority.
Resilient: Over the course of the past 2 ½ years our staff, students, families and communities have repeatedly demonstrated great courage and strength to overcome the most difficult of times. Being resilient is more than just “bouncing back” to the way things were, it is the opportunity to learn from the past and “bounce forward” to a better tomorrow. Our district has outstanding educators, administrators, support staff, students, families, and supportive communities. We can use what we have learned from the Pandemic to make RSU 67 better and stronger than ever.
Innovative: The world around us is changing at lightning speed and the needs of our students are changing with it. As a district, we must not only support innovation, but we must establish environments that encourage innovative thinking and creativity. Innovation and creativity will pave the way to meeting the needs of our learners well into the future.
Diversified: As RSU 67 is dedicated to meeting the needs of all students, we must also recognize that no two learners have the exact same needs. We must not only acknowledge differences, but we must celebrate them through diverse course offerings and supportive services that are as diverse as the students we serve.
Equitable: To ensure that the needs of all learners are met, RSU 67 must be dedicated to the equitable allocation of resources and services. Equity does not mean that everyone gets the same thing. Equity ensures that each individual gets what they need in order to achieve to their full potential.
I believe that with RSU 67 Community Pride, great things will happen in 2022-2023. I know that if we all work together towards a common purpose, RSU 67 can and will be stronger and better than ever! This will be an amazing journey and I am excited to begin the journey with all of you! “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Lao Tzu.
Welcome back and have an amazing 2022-2023 school year!!
Until next time….
Dr. Paul Austin.
Superintendent of Schools