Reflecting on the 2025-2026 School Year: Storms, Struggles, and Silver Linings

As I sit down to write this latest entry, the dust of the 2025-2026 school year is finally beginning to settle. June is traditionally a time for reflection in education, a moment to look in the rearview mirror before we begin paving the road for the fall.

I have served as a school district superintendent for 14 years. Over that time, I have navigated my fair share of crises, shifting mandates, and community challenges. But if I am being completely honest with you all, this past year was the most challenging of my career. Yes, that includes the unprecedented and exhausting years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year tested us on every conceivable front.

We navigated intense community anxiety and real fear surrounding increased immigration enforcement in our area. We dealt with unpredictable, escalating weather conditions that forced a mid-route school bus turnaround. We worked through complex, challenging personnel situations behind the scenes. And, perhaps most disruptively, we managed a terroristic threat against our schools that forced us to close the entire district out of an abundance of caution, before it was ultimately investigated and resolved.

The role of a superintendent is an immense privilege, but it can also be incredibly isolating and lonely. You are frequently tasked with making high-stakes decisions where there is no perfect answer, only the best possible choice you can make with the information you have at that exact moment.

When you make a weather call in good faith that conditions will hold, and instead they deteriorate to the point of turning buses around, that failure rests solely on your shoulders. When you must communicate late into the night with families, asking for patience as law enforcement investigates a threat, you feel the weight of thousands of anxious parents waiting for reassurance that their children are safe. When the legislature debates policies regarding who can access our buildings, you are the one who must step forward to advocate for the operational clarity and protection of your frontline staff.

Leadership in times of crisis requires absorbing the chaos so that the focus in the classrooms can remain steady. It is a heavy burden, and this year, the weight was heavy.

Yet, it is a universal truth that in times of chaos, you discover what a community is truly made of. For every dark cloud that hovered over us this year, there were brilliant silver linings. When things got incredibly tough, the people of Willmar proved that they were tougher.

I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the resilience I witnessed:

• To Our Incredible Staff: Your flexibility this year was nothing short of heroic. When the winter weather escalated, and buses turned around, you didn't hesitate. You rallied immediately to ensure that every single student was safely connected with their family or a trusted friend for the evening. During the threat investigation at the middle school, our staff worked tirelessly alongside local law enforcement to resolve the situation and keep our buildings secure. And when our community was gripped by the fear of immigration enforcement, you adapted without a second thought, pivoting seamlessly to ensure that learning continued uninterrupted for all students, whether they were sitting in your classroom or learning online from the safety of their homes.

• To Our Students and Community: I was moved beyond words by the way this community rallied to support families impacted by the fear of immigration enforcement. In a time when it would have been easy to turn inward, you reached outward. You showed unwavering support for your neighbors, your friends, and your classmates. You reminded us all that Willmar is a place where we take care of our own.

Although the role of a superintendent comes with its lonely days and difficult decisions, the struggles of this year were eclipsed by the sheer number of people willing to put in the hard work to get us through it.

We weathered the storms of the 2025-2026 school year together. We kept our students safe, we kept them learning, and we protected the integrity of our school community. I am incredibly grateful for the resolve practiced by every single person in this district.

Willmar is a tremendous community. We should all be proud to be part of it.

Thank you for your trust, your patience, and your unwavering support this year. Have a wonderful, restful summer.

The Power and Promise of Public Education

Nelson Mandela once said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." These words serve as a constant reminder of the purpose behind choosing this profession and the passion that sustains the work today. Public schools stand as the most capable institutions for providing high-quality learning opportunities to every child. In honor of Public Schools Week, it is a privilege to share a deep appreciation for public education, especially within the incredible community of Willmar Public Schools.

A Commitment to Every Student 

The greatest strength of public education is the unwavering commitment to serve every student, regardless of their background or individual circumstances. Within our district, this commitment is realized by ensuring that all classes and programs remain fully accessible to every learner. Rather than selecting who walks through our doors, we embrace the entire community, celebrating its inherent diversity and nurturing the unique potential found within each child.

This dedication is reflected in a comprehensive academic framework that spans from early childhood programs through high school graduation. In many cases, our commitment extends even further, supporting students through age 22 via specialized transition programs like the Focus House. By meeting students exactly where they are and providing the specific tools they need to thrive, we ensure every learner is career, college, military, and/or life ready.

Opportunities Abound

A quick look at the Willmar Senior High School curriculum shows just how robust public education can be. For students looking to accelerate their futures, we partner with St. Cloud State University, Southwest Minnesota State University, Ridgewater College, and MState Fergus Falls to offer College in the Schools (CIS) and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Because of these partnerships, our students can potentially leave high school with a total of 34 college credits.

But we also know that a traditional four-year degree isn't the only path to success. We offer outstanding Career and Technical Education programs. In our Kandiyohi CEO program students visit over forty local businesses, hear from dozens of guest speakers, and ultimately graduate from the class owning their own business. We also offer classes like Drones, where students learn to use GPS technology and can earn their remote pilot certificate, and Welding 3, where students manage and operate a fabrication business by fulfilling real customer orders.

We are also deeply committed to inclusion and supporting every learner's specific needs. For students meeting Minnesota state criteria, our Special Education department offers tailored courses like Learning For Life and Everyday Academics. We also proudly offer Unified Agriculture and Unified Physical Education, where students explore subjects alongside their peers, completing hands-on activities in partner groups to grow their understanding and empathy. Additionally, our REACH program collaborates with school counselors, social workers, and teachers to help at-risk students work successfully toward graduation.

Driven by Dedicated Professionals 

None of these amazing programs would matter without the people leading them. We have highly qualified, licensed staff providing education in our classrooms. Although we always have areas to improve in, the staff at Willmar Public Schools is 100% committed to continuous improvement. They spend countless hours striving for that improvement, designing better lessons, connecting with families, and ensuring our schools are safe, welcoming environments.

A Calling Worth Pursuing  Choosing a career in public education is a path that brings a lot of joy. Despite the inherent challenges, it remains a true calling to serve others and make a lasting impact on society. Because of the joy found in this work, I continually encourage others, including my own children, to pursue this rewarding profession.

Willmar Public Schools actively inspires students to join this noble field by providing clear, accessible pathways into teaching. High school students can begin exploring the profession through our Introduction to Education course or gain college credit via CIS Introduction to Education, which features a 15-hour paid field experience in a K-12 classroom. Our commitment to developing the next generation of educators is further strengthened by our Teacher Apprenticeship Program, which offers aspiring teachers a unique, hands-on route to gain professional experience and support while pursuing their teaching license.

As we celebrate Public Schools Week, thank you for supporting our schools, our staff, and most importantly, our students. Together, we are utilizing the power of education to change the world.

Reflecting on the Future: My Final Takeaways from the 2026 National Conference on Education

This is my final blog entry as a featured blogger at the 2026 National Conference on Education. I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and am incredibly honored to have had the opportunity to share my reflections with colleagues across the country. A heartfelt thank you to AASA for providing this platform!

On the final day of the conference, I attended two outstanding breakout sessions before wrapping up with an inspiring closing keynote. Here is a look at my biggest takeaways as I prepare to head home.

Session 1: One-Degree Shifts in Central Office Culture

My morning kicked off with One Degree Shifts: Small Moves, Big Impact on Central Office Culture, led by Frederick County Public Schools Superintendent Cheryl Dyson and Chief of Staff Sarah Sirgo.

Their presentation tackled a fantastic question: How do we ensure our central offices aren’t just functional, but genuinely inspirational? They shared how they have intentionally shaped their central office culture to be rooted in transparency, integrity, and service to their schools. Grounded in values-driven leadership, they emphasized how small, one-degree shifts in collaboration and communication can build psychological safety and internal cohesion.

They introduced a brilliant "culture alignment tool" that challenges central office leaders to evaluate their culture across four areas: Psychological Safety, Clarity, Rhythm, and Symbolism. Within each of those areas, leaders must consider three key factors: People, Practices, and Priorities.

To give you an idea of how this looks in action, they broke down their approach to Rhythm (communication cadence and meeting patterns):

• People: They maintain quarterly listening tours, bi-weekly principal advisory check-ins, and semiannual climate conversations with staff and student representatives.

• Practices: They enforce formal "quiet hours" with a no-email rule after 6:00 PM. They also utilize a “School First” agenda rule for cabinet meetings, dedicating the first ten minutes exclusively to school feedback.

• Priorities: They established a rapid-response micro-resource fund to address urgent school issues within 48 hours, along with micro-grants for school-based innovations.

(Note: They shared specific examples for the other three areas as well. If you are interested in seeing the full breakdown, please reach out to me via email or social media, and I’d be happy to share a copy!)

As they shared their experiences, I felt a deep sense of pride realizing that our district is already implementing many of these practices. For example, we utilize our "Know, Do, Share" memo for cabinet members and building leaders, which keeps our team aligned while drastically reducing email traffic.

We also leverage Asana to track communications and ensure my bi-monthly meetings with building leaders are purposeful and dedicated. Our district directors hold similar protected meeting times with building leaders. Furthermore, we are firmly committed to respecting personal time; we do not send emails outside of the workday. If a team member prefers to draft emails in the evening, they are expected to schedule them to send the following morning.

To keep us aligned, our district directors meet every Monday morning. As Superintendent, my own meeting rhythm is intentionally designed to support our team: daily touchpoints with our Communications Strategist; weekly meetings with our Directors of HR and Business/Finance; bi-monthly meetings with our Directors of Teaching & Learning, Food & Nutrition, and Community Education; and monthly meetings with our Directors of Buildings & Grounds, Instructional Technology, and Student Services.

This session was a great validation of our current practices, but it also challenged me to remain intentional. One immediate takeaway I plan to implement is consistently asking these three simple, powerful questions during my leader check-ins:

1. What are you excited about or proud of right now?

2. What are you currently struggling with?

3. How can I better support you?

Session 2: The Power of "Rounding" in Community Partnerships

Next, I attended Powering Strategic Priorities Through Trust, Transparency, and School-Community Partnerships. This panel featured leaders from Studer Education alongside superintendents from Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, and California.

Instead of treating the community as just an audience to be informed, this panel explored how to turn families and neighbors into co-creators of school improvement. They discussed opening school doors for community walks and using consistent, multi-channel messaging to build a culture of shared purpose.

My biggest takeaway from this session was the concept of "rounding." In healthcare, rounding is how doctors check on patients. In education leadership, rounding is the intentional, systematic practice of getting out into the district to ask specific questions of staff, students, and community members.

To stay truly abreast of the district's pulse, a superintendent must proactively ask questions like:

• What are we doing well?

• What is one thing you’d change about the district?

• What do you want to hear more about?

Closing Keynote: Dr. Marcelle Haddix

The conference concluded with an exceptional keynote from Dr. Marcelle Haddix, Dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Education.

She opened by sharing two things she does every single morning to ground herself: she begins with a gratitude journal (using the prompt: Today I am grateful for...), and she intentionally practices joy by listening to music.

Dr. Haddix shared her rules for predicting the future: learn from the past, respect the law of consequences, be acutely aware of your own perspective, and always count on surprises.

A major theme of her keynote was the profound impact of representation. What happens when students do not see themselves, their stories, or their language reflected in books or in the professions around them? Seeing oneself in literature and in leadership builds the confidence to dream. When we fail to provide those mirrors, we actively limit a child's imagination.

Leadership matters. It shifts cultures, drives change, and ultimately improves student outcomes. Dr. Haddix noted that she used to say "leadership chose her," but she realized she needed to be far more intentional about her why. Quoting Tony Robbins, she reminded us: "If you have some power, your job is to empower someone else." Her own leadership style is deeply rooted in community. She views her mission as building leadership pipelines, specifically for Black women, so that future generations are inspired and encouraged to lead.

She left us with a call to action on how we must lead now to prepare for the future:

1. Broaden our definition of literacy: We must uplift diverse stories and experiences so everyone sees themselves in what they read. We need to build a true, inclusive culture of literacy.

2. Reclaim the narrative on teaching: We have to fix the teacher shortage by strengthening our pipelines and changing how the education profession is talked about.

3. Work collectively: None of us can do this work in silos. As she often tells her team, "We are stronger together." True partnership involves not just those inside our school buildings, but our broader communities as well.

As I pack my bags and head back to my district, I am leaving with a full notebook and a full heart. Thank you again to AASA for an incredible conference, and thank you for reading along with me this week!

Daring Greatly: Lessons from the Arena and the Mat

Day Two of the National Conference on Education began with a powerful sense of community and a deep dive into the "Hero’s Journey." I started my morning at the MASA breakfast, celebrating with my fellow Minnesota colleagues. We had the privilege of hearing the inspirational leadership journey of Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams, Minnesota’s Superintendent of the Year and the current Superintendent of Minneapolis Public Schools.

Following breakfast, I connected with my fellow featured bloggers: Kelly Aramaki (Washington), Michelle Osterhoudt (New York), and Heather Perry (Maine). It was a fine example of the networking power this conference provides; reading their entries confirms they are inspirational leaders we can all learn from. The morning momentum continued as Minnesota’s own David Law kicked off the keynote session, reflecting on his impactful year as AASA President and celebrating the great work being done by superintendents nationwide.

The Keynote: Marcus Whitney’s Unlikely Journey

Our keynote speaker, Marcus Whitney, shared a story that is the definition of "daring greatly." In 2000, Marcus moved to Nashville as a college dropout with a young son and another baby on the way, living in a week-to-week efficiency hotel. Two decades later, he is a venture capitalist, a bestselling author, and co-founder/owner of Nashville’s Major League Soccer team.

Marcus walked us through how he turned his dreams into reality, explaining the path to success, and challenging us to dream beyond our comfort levels.

The Foundation: Parents and Preparation

A significant portion of Marcus's message was dedicated to the "investments" others made in him. He credited his parents for pouring everything into him, placing him in environments where he could succeed, and instilling the belief that he could do anything.

Reflecting on his story made me think of my own parents. While they didn't have a lot of income, they made sure my siblings and I had everything we needed, from sending us to wrestling camps at the University of Iowa to supporting us in ways we didn't fully realize at the time. Loving parents have an immeasurable impact. As leaders, it forces us to ask: How can we enhance learning for students who have that support, while simultaneously providing a foundation for those who may not have it at home?

The Arena and the Lessons of the Mat

Marcus also spoke about the impact of the Hero’s Journey (Joseph Campbell) on his life. Interestingly, Marcus was a wrestler, a sport close to my heart. He noted that the lessons of the mat, perseverance, hard work, and sacrifice, were the very tools he used to transform his life.

He closed with the iconic Teddy Roosevelt quote, "The Man in the Arena." It was a perfect reminder for every superintendent in the room:

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly."

As we navigate the challenges of public education, we are the ones in the arena. We are the doers of deeds. Today’s session was a reminder that our journey, and the journeys of our students, require the courage to dream and the resilience to stay in the action.

Be the Tide: Fulfilling the Public Education Promise

The first Keynote session at this year’s AASA conference served as both a compass for our collective future and a high-energy reminder of why we chose this path in the first place. We kicked off with a powerful call to action: The Public Education Promise. This is a commitment to providing every child, in every community, an education that prepares them for real life in the real world.

The Five Pillars of Our Promise

As Executive Director David Schuler shared, as school system leaders, we are converging around five guiding principles that will define the next era of American public education:

• Principle 1: Prioritize Student-Centered Learning – Nurturing the unique potential of every young person by creating environments where they feel they belong and have a voice.

• Principle 2: The New Basics: Real Skills for Real Life – Balancing traditional core curricula with the "New Basics"—adaptability, digital literacy, financial literacy, and problem-solving.

• Principle 3: Attract, Hire, Retain, and Reward the Best People – Recognizing that the heart of any successful system is its people and building a culture that empowers them to lead.

• Principle 4: Build Highly Engaged Family, Community, and Business Partnerships – Moving beyond the school walls to create a seamless learning ecosystem.

• Principle 5: Measure What Matters – Moving beyond high-stakes testing to adopt multiple measures that reflect real-world competencies and student well-being.

Give Yourself a Chance: The Sanfelippo Spark

After laying out the framework, we were joined by Joe Sanfelippo, a former superintendent turned leadership coach. His message was a lesson in the "human" side of our roles. One of his favorite taglines, “Give Yourself a Chance," struck a chord with me.

Joe reminded us that because everyone went to school, everyone thinks they know how to run one. In that environment, every interaction matters. We’ve all heard it before, but it necessitates repeating: people may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. Every high-five in the hallway or brief chat with a bus driver could be the one interaction that person talks about for the rest of their lives.

Stop Defending, Start Defining

Aligning perfectly with our earlier sessions today, Joe encouraged us to stop "defending" our work. Defending is exhausting and reactive. Instead, we must define our work by telling our own stories. If we don’t provide the narrative, others may invent one. We need to give our staff, families, and students a constant stream of reasons to speak positively about their lived experiences in our schools.

The Superintendent’s Source of Energy

One of the most practical pieces of advice from the Keynote was simple: Get out of the office. Use your feet. Visit classrooms. It is easy to get bogged down in the "business" of the district, but we are at our best when we are with students. Whenever I am around students, I feel energized. I have never walked out of an elementary school building without a smile on my face or a funny story to tell. Those visits are the essential reminders of why we do what we do.

As Angie Hooper said, "The rising tide lifts all boats. Be the tide." As superintendents, we set the tone. If we are the "tide" of positivity and recognition, that energy ripples throughout the entire organization.

Celebrating Excellence

We closed the session by recognizing the Superintendents of the Year from each state. It is always a humbling experience to see our colleagues acknowledged for the hard work they do every day.

The four national finalists were:

• Demetrus Liggins (Kentucky)

• Roosevelt Nivens (Texas)

• Heather Perry (Maine)

• Sonja Santelises (Maryland)

A huge congratulations to Roosevelt Nivens from Texas, who was named the National Superintendent of the Year. His acceptance was a beautiful tribute to the personal and professional support systems that make this work possible. Roosevelt, you represent the best of us!

Important Links/Sources:

The Public Education Promise

From Customers to Partners: Redefining Family Engagement

Having been a former 1st grade teacher, if there is one universal frustration in elementary education, it’s the blank reading log. Many of us have seen them, which created my excitement to attend the breakout, "15 Minutes to Impact: A Scalable System for Family Engagement That Actually Drives Literacy Growth," featuring Jessica Sliwerski (Ignite! Reading), Jose Escribano (Springfield Public Schools), and Jennie Bachmeyer (Red Bluff Union Elementary District).

The panel proposed that most family engagement fails not because parents don’t care, but because the engagement isn't actually designed for most families. Traditional literacy nights often draw the same 12 families, while parent workshops rarely reach those who need them most. Yet, the research presented shows that when we get this right, students can gain an average of 10 points on standardized reading tests.

The Science of Connection: What the Research Says

The session leaned heavily on the School Transition Study (STS), a decade-long investigation led by researchers like Dr. Heather Weiss and Eric Dearing. They followed 390 low-income, ethnically diverse children from kindergarten through fifth grade to see exactly how family involvement impacts literacy.

The findings offered a roadmap for those of us leading districts:

• Consistency over Intensity: High levels of involvement, from attending conferences to volunteering, predicted significant literacy gains over time.

• The "Added Reward": Interestingly, family involvement had the strongest positive impact on children whose mothers had the lowest levels of formal education. It is a powerful tool for closing the achievement gap.

• Emotional Pathways: Involvement doesn’t just teach a skill; it increases a child’s positive feelings about reading, which in turn drives their performance.

• It’s Never Too Late: Because involvement is dynamic, parents can become more engaged at any point in the developmental continuum and still produce measurable results.

Differentiated Engagement: Families are "In" the System

One of the most profound shifts in mindset came from Jose Escribano. He challenged us to stop treating families as "customers". If they are customers, they are outside the system. Instead, we must view families and students as being within the system.

This means we have to move toward Differentiated Engagement. Just as we differentiate instruction for students, we must differentiate how we reach families. Jose and Jennie Bachmeyer shared that we need to stop asking how families fit into our school schedules and start asking how our schools fit into their lives.

Real-World Solutions: Meeting Families Where They Are

Jennie shared how her rural district has reimagined engagement by removing every possible barrier. In her district, if an event doesn't include childcare and a meal, participation is nonexistent.

They’ve also taken literacy "on the road":

• The Restaurant QR Code: They place QR codes in local restaurants. Instead of kids sitting on tablets, families can scan a code that leads to literacy games or math activities.

• The Mobile Library: Rather than waiting for families to come to the school library, they use a mobile library, and literacy leads go to community events and pass out free books.

• Facilitated Instructions: Programs like Raising Readers go home every Friday with QR codes that walk parents through how to facilitate reading at home.

Funding the Village

Of course, this work requires resources. Panelists discussed leveraging Title I funds, literacy grants, and community donations. But more importantly, they are leaning on "the village", community volunteers, civic organizations, and "grandparent volunteers" to provide the human power needed to sustain these systems.

Final Thought

My big takeaway? Literacy isn't just a classroom goal; it's a community effort. When we design engagement with the "hard to reach" family in mind, we often find they weren't hard to reach at all, they were just waiting for an invitation that fit their reality.

Important Links

Ign!te Reading

Raising Readers

Dolly Parton Imagination Library