The Spirit of Holiday Season Lives in Us All

It’s been said this is the most wonderful time of the year, and it’s hard to disagree. During this holiday season, I encourage you to find time for your family and friends, especially the children. This season can be a magical time of connecting with loved ones and creating opportunities to care about others. In the spirit of the season, we all must be kind to those around us.

We continue to feel the responsibility of preparing the implementation of The Macon Miracle; however, it is also important for each of us to take time to “recharge our batteries.” The holiday break is an ideal occasion to temporarily put our work responsibilities aside and to focus on the people in our lives that we depend on and who depend on us.

The recent tragedy in Newtown, Conn., illustrates how fragile life can be. We must be mindful of the central priorities in each of our lives, nurturing loving, supportive relationships with our friends and our families. We have no guarantees the opportunities will always be available so I encourage you to seize the moments we are blessed to share with family and friends right now.

In our community, nearly 80 percent of our student population qualifies for free or reduced lunch, which means that, unfortunately, not every child will experience the bounty of the holiday season. I am hopeful these students are able to find joy and encouragement through the generosity of others. It is through the open hearts of individuals in this community that they will experience firsthand how compassion can lift another person’s spirit.

There is no question that the work we do is vital to the continued success of this community, but the job must always come second to nurturing loving, supportive relationships in our lives and the lives of the children in this community. We can, and should, be the type of adults we want our children to grow up to be.

Thank you for what you do to serve the students of the Bibb County School District! As we break for this holiday season, I wish you rest, happiness, and contentment.  

Superintendent Formally Accepts Extension of His Contract

The following press release was issued today, December 7, 2012, by the Bibb County School District:

Superintendent Formally Accepts Extension of His Contract

Today, Dr. Romain Dallemand, Superintendent of Schools, formally accepted the Board’s offer to extend his employment contract. The new contract begins on January 1, 2013, and runs through December 31, 2015.

At a Called Board meeting on December 3, 2012, the Board announced its offer for the Superintendent’s consideration. The new contract will replace his current contract, which was set to expire on June 30, 2013. Board attorneys had been working on the final language for the proposed contract extension with the terms and conditions as approved by the Board.

“The decision by the Board to offer an extension to my contract demonstrates its commitment to continuous improvements that are outlined in The Macon Miracle,” Dr. Dallemand said. “Obviously there is much work to do in improving student outcomes, but we are extremely confident that the continued implementation of the Strategic Plan will yield the type of results our students deserve and our community expects.”

Next month, three new members, Dr. Thelma Dillard, Mr. Jason Downey, and Mr. Lester Miller, begin their terms on the Board. Dr. Dallemand said he is already working to help them hit the ground running.

“I have met with each of the incoming Board members individually, and I am impressed with their ideas and enthusiasm to help transform our school system into a model of change and innovation,” Dr. Dallemand explained. “I am encouraged by their energy and desire to serve the children of the District. We had candid conversations, and I am confident we will work collaboratively to systemically improve our schools to not only increase graduation rates but to also produce higher caliber, more critical thinking students and citizens.”

As the District moves forward with a new governing Board, Dr. Dallemand said the focus will continue to be providing high quality educational experiences and increased academic rigor for students, as well as implementing meaningful professional development opportunities for staff.

The Future Students Deserve and Our Community Demands

“Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

- John F. Kennedy

During my interviews to become the Superintendent of the Bibb County School District, I told Board members that the best approach to improve academic outcomes for students was not to “fix” the current system, but rather to “change” it altogether. Continuing on the same path would inevitably produce similarly less than desirable results. After I was appointed Superintendent, we began the herculean process of comprehensively transforming how the District operates with the ultimate goal of improving student learning.

The 2012-1013 school year marks the first full year of implementation of our Strategic Plan, better known as The Macon Miracle. Our approach included gathering input from all employees and many community members to design a plan that would result in improved achievement levels and more students graduating from high school prepared for college and beyond. Moreover, engaging employees demonstrated our steadfast commitment to incorporating the ideas of individuals throughout the District in determining how we should improve and what that might look like. As this first semester comes to a close, we see our efforts gaining traction as we continue to concentrate on The Macon Miracle’s six core focus areas: Students, Staff, Parents and Community, Teaching and Learning, Technology, and Structure of Schools.

Transformation is challenging work. It will take responsible engagement of parents, businesses, community members, and other political and religious leaders to make this plan the success our students deserve regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. The success of public education in Bibb County is inextricably linked to the success of the entire community. Our Strategic Plan is purposely designed as a dynamic and responsive document that reacts to the changing international, national, state, and local demands while maintaining student learning as its core mission. This thoughtful approach ensures the best opportunity for every child to be prepared to compete successfully in a 21st century, multi-ethnic, global economy.

I believe we are on the precipice of dramatic and historic gains in student achievement as more parts of The Macon Miracle are systematically and successfully implemented. The revolutionary shift is a direct result of current Board members’ support of employees as they authored the roadmap to authentic improvement. As three individuals prepare to assume their new roles as School Board Members in January, I want to extend my appreciation to our three outgoing Board members: Mr. William Thomas Barnes, III, President; Mrs. Susan Y. Middleton, Vice President; and Mr. Gary Bechtel. All three dedicated individuals have served with distinction. Each has demonstrated a genuine commitment to playing an active role in striving to make our schools better.

As we move forward with a new governing Board, we will continue to focus on ensuring high quality educational experiences for our students. We will continue to place emphasis on increasing academic rigor for students and implementing meaningful professional development opportunities for our staff. Without a doubt, the learning of students goes hand in hand with the learning of the adults that serve them.

We must also address the many challenges we face in education including funding issues; teacher shortages in critical needs areas such as special education, mathematics, and science; changing federal and state mandates; and shifting workforce demands. We are constantly balancing our budgeting needs against today’s economic realities and reprioritizing the critical components of a quality public education. The one area that never is reprioritized is the focus on student learning. Successful outcomes for students must drive every decision we make.

Regardless of how well we plan, we must constantly evaluate our efforts and adjust our strategies to deliver the highest quality instruction to our students. The Macon Miracle will continue to guide our efforts. Implementing innovative initiatives and proven strategies with fidelity will ensure that we fulfill our commitment to support each child to demonstrate strength of character and be college ready.

We must continue to prepare students for their future; not our past.