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May 15, 2026

GLPS Families,

I want to start today by acknowledging the support and resilience of our Willow Ridge Families and broader community this week. Starting with last Friday’s block party, to the return of students to school on Monday supported by our crisis team, to all of the volunteers, food, and support that showed up for Willow Ridge throughout the week, to the amazing response from our entire Willow Ridge staff, Comet Country has continued to be here during a difficult time, and we truly appreciate it.

As we continue to keep those impacted by Mrs. Bedard’s passing in our thoughts, it is important, too, to recognize the fact that May is a time for celebration and excitement across our school district. From art shows to performances, and athletic events to block parties and family fun nights, May is full of opportunities to celebrate all of the wonderful things that make the GLPS community so special (speaking of family fun night, look for me in the dunk tank at Holbrook’s this evening!). Seniors are looking ahead to their last week of school next week, and staff is looking ahead to their last professional learning session of the year next Friday.

Academics remain front and center, as we work through spring assessments. The work we have done this year is paying off, as students are demonstrating their learning on a multitude of assessments, from DIBELS and NWEA to MSTEP, PSAT, and SAT. Enrollment for next year is in full swing, and our staff is spending time over the next few weeks successfully wrapping up this year while preparing kids for the fall. Next Tuesday, we will have visitors from out of state touring our career and technical education programs at the high school, and then stopping by Willow Ridge to see the Eaton RESA Fab Lab in action (elementary students use the Fab Lab to experience a variety of career options), which continues to highlight our commitment to outstanding programming and an eye to the future for our students across the district. This follows our celebration of Decision Day a couple of weeks ago, during which we highlight our seniors’ post secondary plans, whether they are going to college, work, the military, trade schools, or have other plans after high school.

There are countless other celebrations, events, and activities that are taking place over the next couple of weeks as we head through the rest of May and into June, and they are simply too numerous to list here. As I often say, as a community goes, so goes its school district, and as a school district goes, so goes its community. Throughout the year, we have so many opportunities to celebrate being Comets, but May is especially busy with all of the good things that make our community and district such wonderful places to learn and grow.

Thank you, as always, for your support and for giving us the opportunity to work with you and your children every day. I am very proud to serve Comet Country, and I appreciate all that the schools and the community do to support one another. I am sure I will see you out and about at one of the many May events, and I look forward to all of the celebrations of our students’ talents and achievements in the coming weeks. Thank you; I am #proudtobeacomet!

Dr. Bill Barnes
Superintendent of Schools