Memorial Day - Remember Why

GLPS Families,

As we head into the three-day Memorial Day weekend, I have a couple of updates for you:

1. First and foremost, it is important that we reflect on why we have Memorial Day, and remember those who have given their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy in our country. We are eternally grateful for the sacrifices made by the members of our armed forces and their families on behalf of the United States of America.

2. Congrats to our seniors, whose last day is today! The last couple weeks have seen multiple celebrations, from the Top 25, to anything but a backpack day, to the Senior Oscars, to the seniors awards ceremony. The biggest celebration, though, is graduation, which takes place on June 9th at the Breslin Center.

3. You may have seen signs pop up around the district about custodial openings. Custodians are one of the many groups in the district that are looking for new team members. As a reminder, folks can go to our careers page for more information on these, and all, of our current openings.

4. Over the last couple of weeks, I have had some families reach out to me regarding celebrations or months that are important to them. In addition, in a survey a few weeks ago, we asked families to share those with us more formally as well. I really appreciate your willingness to provide that information to us, because it allows us to make sure that we place importance on the things that are meaningful to our families. We will do our best to continue to communicate about months and celebrations moving forward, and we appreciate all of your input and feedback!

5. We received many, many positive messages after our power outage communication yesterday; thanks to all who took time to write! I also want to make sure to remind everyone that from my perspective, leadership and communication go hand in hand with transparency and trust. So, when I send communications out like the one I did yesterday, I do so because I want to keep families informed and be transparent about our processes, not necessarily because we get complaints. Folks across the district were very supportive and understanding yesterday, and I truly appreciate the positive feedback we received. Thank you all! 

That is it for this week. Enjoy the holiday weekend, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you and your students every day. As always, I am #proudtobeacomet!

Dr. Bill Barnes
Superintendent of Schools