Greetings, the friendly schools!

As we welcome the 2025–2026 school year, I want to thank you, every leader, educator, staff member, student, and family, for the heart and commitment you bring to this work. Our district is not just preparing students for success. We’re shaping citizens who know how to listen, reflect, connect, and lead. That work starts with us. Throughout the summer, our team has been focused on rebuilding systems that welcome every student with consistency, care, and high expectations. We’ve sharpened our focus on emotional intelligence and re-centered our commitment to social-emotional learning, not as an add-on, but as a foundation. Because how we teach is just as important as what we teach. And how we show up for each other sets the tone for how students experience school.

This year’s Arts in Education theme is “Every Picture Tells a Story.” On its surface, it reminds us that behind every image, whether a student’s face in the hallway or a colleague’s tone in a meeting, there’s more than meets the eye. The truth is, every picture tells a story only if we take the time to really see it. That means observing closely, suspending judgment, and asking ourselves three essential questions:

• What do I currently see?

• What else may be going on here?

• How can I provide the support and partnering connection that’s going to help elevate this student?

When we practice this kind of intentional seeing, we’re modeling emotional intelligence. We are leaning into the Yale RULER Framework, which guides us in Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions, both our own and others’. These are not soft skills. These are human skills. And they matter in every classroom, every team, every interaction.

As we reset and strengthen our SEL work this year, the RULER approach will help guide how we lead, coach, and teach. Building emotional awareness isn’t about controlling feelings. It’s about creating spaces where students and staff feel safe enough to express themselves, supported enough to name them, and equipped enough to manage them in healthy, productive ways.

This year, let’s get the story right. Let’s notice what is  missing from the frame. Let’s zoom in when it matters. Let’s create a school culture where students are not only seen and heard, but also understood and supported.

Thank you for showing up with purpose and heart. I’m proud to walk this journey with you. Let’s make it a powerful year together!