Welcome Back to a promising new academic year!

One of the things I love about school is that it is cyclical. Every September there is an opportunity to start fresh. There is an excitement (and of course some anxiety) of the unknown. There are new teachers, new classmates, and sometimes even new buildings.

There is also the opportunity to reconnect with friends that you haven’t seen since the end of the last school year. And let’s not forget about the back to school shopping. I’ve alway thought that there is something familiar yet exciting about opening up a ream of paper and getting a whiff of that new paper smell.

It’s also a time of hope and optimism. For students, the beginning of each school year is a clean slate. No one has yet failed a quiz or missed an assignment. It is an opportunity to rededicate yourself to setting and reaching towards your goals. Join a club; try out for a team; do something to make the world a better place. You know, you can do anything this year!

The aforementioned pertains to staff as well. As a teacher, I remember starting each year with a fresh planning book. It had a red cover and was coil bound. As I entered my daily plans in September, I would be looking ahead to all those blank pages and imagining all of the cool things my classes and I would get to do this year.

As teachers, you are part of an incredible vocation that is both honourable and deeply necessary. You are literally shaping the future! I know you will treat each child as if they hold the future in their hands – because they do.

As parents, we had a family tradition of taking a “First Day of School” picture with our kids. As I look back, it is amazing to watch them grow from bad haircuts and missing teeth to the eventual graduation cap and gown. It was a journey that we treasure as a family.

To our Black Gold parents/guardians and caregivers, thank you for entrusting us with the education of your children. You can expect to be treated as a valued partner by your school, and together we will work to create a supportive networks and safe and welcoming learning environments to nurture and guide your children to reach their fullest potential.

As we enter this new academic year, we do so with the collective vision of cultivating an inclusive and equitable learning experience for all. Let us practice compassion and understanding, embrace each other’s differences, and create harmonious communities where every voice is heard and valued.

The pencils are sharp, the markers are new, and the notebook is blank. Have a great school year everyone, and fill the pages of your life with new and wonderful worthwhile experiences! This is going to be the best school year ever!

Sincerely,

Bill Romanchuk
Superintendent of Schools/CEO