From the Board

Hello Garfield Re-2,

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who attended our school board meeting last week, either in person or via Zoom. Your presence and engagement truly makes a difference. 

If you have not been to a board meeting, especially one at a Garfield Re-2 School, I would highly encourage you to join us. When we have meetings at a school, the building leaders have the opportunity to “Shine the Light” on the really great things happening.  We start around 4:45 and have an opportunity to meet staff and learn how the school is moving forward with the strategic plan.  I encourage all community and staff to come to a “Shine the Light” and see for yourself.  It is part of our culture.   

Last week, Cactus Valley Elementary shared how they are using the Graduate Profile to inspire the kids to “Grow to Green” as part of Supports for Student Success. Cactus Valley had seen a decline in their state scores. Principal Kelly Detlefsen and Assistant Principal Stacy VanHercke shared their vision with every staff member and every student. Then, focusing on the Graduate Profile of the Strategic Plan, students have been empowered to set and achieve their academic goals and GROW to GREEN - the color used on state reports to show meeting expectations.  At the school board meeting, the CVE Student Council did a great job explaining where they stood with their mid-year achievement numbers.

It would be an understatement to say I am excited that Superintendent Grumley has committed to a one-year contract extension.  I don’t think there will be a bigger board accomplishment this year.  She recognized the district needed a true north star and spearheaded the development of our Strategic Plan.  Development is one thing, implementation is another.  With her direction and vision, this plan lives in all phases of the work our District is doing.  

Heather has been involved in the lives of so many people in this community from educating our kids, pushing athletes to be their best, and developing this staff from top to bottom.  Garfield Re-2 has its leader for the future. She will look you dead in the eye and say, “The work isn’t done yet!”  She wanted to finish, and I felt she earned and deserved that opportunity. I am excited to see where her leadership can take Garfield Re-2!

Also at our last meeting,  we took a deeper dive into Academic Growth and Achievement.  Our Elementary Curriculum Director, Simone Richardson,  along with a great team of instructional coaches, showcased insights into strategies to enhance student success. The data shows our students have high growth potential and with the proper interventions, professional development, and strategic planning days we hope to get the performance to match. 

Our Secondary Curriculum Director Jacob Pingel, alongside fantastic administrators and coaches, provided an update on our Career Pathways. The goals are to plant a seed of exploration in elementary, experiment with CTE in middle school,  and execute career pathways in high school. 
 While we celebrate our achievements, it's important to acknowledge the challenges ahead, especially regarding funding and resource constraints. However, I firmly believe that by working together, we can overcome these obstacles and continue to provide the best support for our staff and students.

Thank you once again for your dedication and commitment to the Garfield Re-2 community. Let's keep working together towards our shared goals.

Britton Fletchall, School Board President