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Superintendent Sherman's Plans for His First Six Months in Alexandria

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Dear ACPS Family,

I am grateful for the warm welcome I have received since being named superintendent of schools. The children in Alexandria are fortunate to live in a community that places such a high value on education. Many of you have reached out to me through e-mail and I have met a few of you in person. Eventually, I look forward to meeting with as many of you as I can.

For my first six weeks, beginning with my first day on August 15, the schools and school activities will be my priority. I hope to gain a good insight into the strengths and needs of the school division and individual schools through visits to each school, with the objective to get to nearly every classroom in the division and to talk with as many students, teachers, staff members and parents as possible. I plan to return to each school to visit classrooms at least two or three more times during the school year.

After the first six weeks, I look forward to talking with parent and community groups. The School Board members and I will work together to draft goals for the year.

By December, I will report to the Board and community what I have learned through my initial visits to the schools, my conversations with school and community leaders and my study of the school and division data. I will also have a first round of recommendations which will help to shape the budget, programs and the long-range plan.

During the first six months, School Board members plan to have "coffees" in the evening with residents from throughout the community.

Guiding principles for me in the early months in Alexandria City Public Schools include:

• Always asking "What is best for students?" when making decisions.
• Finding a respectful balance between the great traditions and significant accomplishments of ACPS with the need to move forward to even greater achievements as we identify needs and issues.
• Engaging the Board, staff, parents, students and members of the community in dialogue about the future of ACPS, and working to make the systems we use in decision making transparent, open and inclusive.

ACPS is a great school division. Let us build on our many significant successes as we address the needs of students in this still emerging new century. Alexandria has the energy, history, resources and commitment to serve as a model for the rest of the country. If we can't successfully answer some of the pressing issues facing American public education, who can?

To accomplish all that is before us, we need to work together, dream what is best for our students and keep a methodical, logical and deliberate pace so that we can help each and every student achieve at the highest possible levels.

Sincerely,

Morton Sherman
Supertintendent of Schools

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