From the Board of Education: School District and School Board Summer Highlights

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

Summer School: This popular annual program for enrichment, acceleration and remediation of learning was a huge success again this summer offering 118 courses. In fact, the enrollment grew to 3,429 students and 260 staff members to support.  Increasingly, summer for the kids is an active time for learning and exploring. Moreover, our students and families are showing that they are interested in enhancing new learning opportunities - and the district is equally committed to supporting this interest.  The Board of Education appreciates the staff that supported this program and prepared the facilities for the upcoming school year. 

Construction updates: Multi-year facility upgrades began in earnest this spring and will continue well into 2024. The Board of Education has been able to view the construction progress throughout the summer. Special thanks to all of our construction partners and HSSD employees for their commitment to flexibility in adapting to weather, supply chain and schedule-based adjustments. For ongoing construction updates please see updates located on the website at: https://www.hssdschools.org/community/facilities-update.

School Board Visit to St Vrain: When the Board asked the community in March 2022 how HSSD should focus our resources and planning efforts, the top response was “Better prepare students for life after high school.” In June, several school board and leadership team members visited a state of the art career pathway program in St Vrain Valley School District, Colorado. This is an educational program that is nationally recognized as visionary in meeting the 21st century needs of students and families.  Exploring other high performing school systems helps HSSD benchmark in support of our vision: “An authentic, innovative, connected and inspired experience for an ever-changing future.”

Student apprenticeships: This spring over 150 students at Bay Port showed interest in internship or apprentice opportunities.  In conjunction with community leaders, business partners, and the Howard Suamico Business Professional Association, HSSD hosted a job fair.  This upcoming year we will be able to provide opportunities for our students to experience real life work experience and receive credit for education.  This will allow our students to learn more about manufacturing, professional practices, health care, technology and skill trades, etc. Our students are more career focused earlier and younger so this provides relevant experience and helps our local business partners.  

Leadership HSSD: Leadership HSSD is a program designed for those who want to obtain a foundational understanding in district operations, leadership principles, governance, and become more active participants in our schools.  Our first group of 35 community members graduated in spring. The second cohort will start this fall and continue through spring of 2023.  This program is sponsored by the  Howard-Suamico Education Foundation (HSEF) in partnership with HSEF President Bill Hawker and HSSD Superintendent of Schools, Damian LaCroix.

For more information about the Howard-Suamico School District, please visit our website at www.hssdschools.org.