Dear Guilford schools community, It is a pleasure to welcome you back to another school year.

Every year, as I look back over all that we have accomplished in our schools, and as I look forward at all that we have planned, I take enormous pride in being a part of this thoughtful, supportive, and growth-minded system of schools. And this year is certainly no exception.

As we return to our schools later this month, we return to wonderful opportunity. We return to the opportunity to continue to grow the curiosity and the sense of wonder in the children of this community. We return to the opportunity to continue to develop excellence in one of Connecticut’s outstanding school districts and systems. We return to the opportunity to continue the work of our most recent past years as we focus our concerns not only on academic success but also on the social and emotional wellness and resilience of the children who attend our schools every day. Last year our schools saw the launch of a new, more developmentally appropriate bell schedule; the implementation of an anonymous communication system; revisions to our home-work expectations and our practice of reporting class rank; a continued value placed on reasonable class sizes; and a professional focus on how the environments we create in our classrooms can and should both challenge and support emotional and social health and happiness every bit as much as they do academic rigor. This year, we return to the opportunity to continue that work.

Additionally, this year we return to important changes within our professional team. Every year, we are excited to welcome new teachers into the ranks of our Guilford team, but this year we are additionally excited to announce significant changes within our leadership team.

Dr. Annine Crystal moves from her role of literacy coach, which she has held for nine years in district, to her new role as assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Although he assumed the role last November, Mr. Jason Sconziano will begin his first full year as director of Pupil Services, moving from his role as Guilford High School special education coordinator into his new position.

Mr. Michael Regan has moved from his position of assistant principal at Adams Middle School into the permanent role of principal.

Mr. William Grimm has moved from his position as principal at Calvin Leete Elementary School to assume the position of principal at A.W. Cox.

Mrs. Michele Han joins us following her time in New London Schools, as a literacy coach and then as a successful principal, to assume the position of principal at Melissa Jones Elementary School.

Mrs. Kenneasha Sloley joins us as after having been a successful teacher and principal in the Hartford Schools system to become the new principal at Calvin Leete Elementary School.

Last year, Mrs. Jacky Ham joined our team from Branford and begins this as her first full year as Guilford High School special education coordinator, and

Mr. James Papa has moved to Guilford as the assistant principal at Adams Middle School after having served in a similar position in the Avon schools.

Schools, and school systems, are something between an anthology and a novel. We are a collection of individual stories that come together to form a single, whole narrative. Every child who walks through our doors carries her or his story into our school. Every teacher, school nurse, bus driver, and custodian similarly contributes a story to that whole. And this year, in particular, feels like a wonderful opportunity to continue to craft our narrative of learning and of happiness, of community and comradery, of excellence and acceptance.

I look forward to writing this year’s chapter with all of you.