District Administrators Corner

by Loren Glasbrenner,  River Valley School District Administrator  Mr. John Ashley, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, recently created a press release that resonated with me this week. An excerpt of the release is here:  “ ...Our children are watching how the adults in their communities deal with conflict and strife.  It is up to all of us to set the right example and ensure that our democracy functions as it is intended.” As the district administrator, I listen to public opinion seriously and value the various perspectives as kindly and patiently as possible.  And to be clear, democracy does not mean we all agree.  The cornerstone of development and democracy will always be discussion and disagreement.  Paul Wellstone, a notable American academic, states, “Education and democracy have the same goal; the fullest possible development of human capabilities.” Yet, I am starting to get a bit concerned.  I have a collection of emails about “they” and “them” that continues to grow.  Rather than presuming good intentions, or even recognizing that we can respectfully disagree, it has become a field of eye rolling and skepticism--which then may be followed with judgment and insolence to our neighbors. The collection of emails and voicemails has as much variety as a typical potluck.  Picture this--ham sandwiches, venison sausage, quinoa, beet salad, etc. sitting in front of us all on the food line, and we see our choices.  We can all respectfully decline or fill our plates with good intentions.  There are many new things to try and some of the same old standbys.  Some of us gracefully decline, some complain, and some just choose to go home hungry.  There will always be items which we prefer not to add to our plate, but we need to remember that someone took the time to prepare it with good intention. Good intention is the one thing that each of the emails I am collecting have in common--we all want what we think is best for the kids of River Valley.  And, yes, our school board and school teams continue to provide as much guidance as possible through the differing opinions.  We all want what is best for our children. So, continue to listen and continue to be respectful...and continue to fill your plate.