“Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” Rita Pierson

Welcome back. Our buildings have been busy all summer, but a school is really about the people inside. Next week, 1,200 staff members return to our ten schools, and on September 8th, 5,600 students will bring them to life with their energy and excitement. We have been preparing for their arrival since June.

Our Goals: Transforming Tomorrow Last night, the Board of Education approved our district goals for 2026–2027, following the theme Transforming Tomorrow. The three goals are Empowering Pathways to Excellence, Cultivating Belonging and Community, and Building Sustainable Foundations. We created these goals with your input, and they guide all our decisions. This year, each goal has clear objectives and checkpoints, so you can see our progress as the year goes on.

Here’s what this means for your child. This fall, we will set an academic starting point for every student by October 30th and check their progress again in the spring. This way, you and your child’s teachers can clearly see how they are doing. Each school will start new activities based on its own climate survey results, chosen by the people who know the school best. Belonging grows school by school. Our Five-Year Facilities Plan will be updated and included in next year’s budget, so the classrooms, gyms, fields, and shared spaces we promise are the ones we provide. These buildings serve not just our students, but the whole community.

We Begin by Listening On September 2, our whole staff will come together for Convocation at Fair Lawn High School. This year, I am skipping the usual superintendent’s speech. Instead, staff and students will share what belonging means in our schools, based on their real experiences. This is the best way to start a year focused on looking closely. What our community will remember is not my words, but the people they see.

Ready Buildings, Ready People Our Buildings and Grounds team completed many projects across all ten schools this summer, including the A Gym renovation, new bleachers at the high school, and updates such as painting and new flooring in every building. We also welcomed about 50 new staff members to Fair Lawn, who came together in August for new staff orientation to learn about our schools, our goals, and the community they now serve. During their interviews, what stood out was not just their qualifications, but their interest in our students. People who ask thoughtful questions pay attention, and this year, paying attention is our focus.

Students return on Tuesday, September 8th. Your building principal will share information about back-to-school night and all the details for the first week, including arrival and dismissal times. Please read those messages carefully. When everyone knows the plan, the first week runs smoothly.

Our Partnership Every September, I ask the same things of you, and I am asking again now: talk with your child about their day, reach out early if something seems wrong, and assume good intentions on both sides of the conversation. This partnership, more than any other program, helps children grow.

Enjoy these last days of summer. When school starts, we will be ready for every student, every day.

Read the entire Corner Column here.