We made it! Cue “School’s Out For Summer” and welcome all of the glory that summer has to offer us. We couldn’t be more excited for families, students, and staff as they, deservedly so, enjoy this break.

While we had another year of hardships from Covid-19, I can’t tell you how proud I am of this community and our students’ resiliency. This community is full of compassion and continues to show up for our children. Although there have been ups and downs, we have had shining moments of greatness peek through to remind us that our community is strong, despite the challenges that come our way. I want to take a moment and recognize each group for their amazing contributions to our community:

Thank you custodians

Your work to sanitize, disinfect our students’ learning environments is critical to our success in keeping students safe. 

Thank you food service staff

You continue to inspire me day in and day out by your unwavering commitment to nourishing minds. 

Thank you district office staff

You provide the behind the scenes support our staff need. You each are the foundation, the infrastructure our system needs to run smoothly. I see how hard you work and I appreciate it. 

Thank you principals  

I get to see you run around the schools everyday making sure staff have what they  need to support students. I see you and the work you’re accomplishing to ensure the success of each learner. 

Thank you teaching staff (including ECFE, Preschool and Village Kids)

As the bread and butter of our schools, we literally couldn’t operate without you. I am in awe of the work you do to inspire our students, despite an arduous year of intermittent asynchronous learning, mask mandates and Covid-19 interruptions. As I heard over and over again last night at graduation…our students not only respect you, they know you care deeply for them. You are incredible humans and I am so lucky to have you at St. Anthony - New Brighton Schools. 

And lastly, thank you parents and guardians

You’ve handled text messages about buses everyday (sorry about that), disruptions to your schedule to accommodate asynchronous learning, and tough but needed conversations around race and equity, all with a positive attitude and compassionate understanding. Thank you for all you do and for having faith in our commitment to make the changes necessary to create the district our students deserve, one in which our employees can be proud, one that our parents are proud to send their children to, and one that contributes to the greater good of the St. Anthony - New Brighton community. By working together, we have continued to make this place truly special. 

Our hope is that in the fall we can take everything we’ve learned thus far and become ever brighter. That means more mental health support for students, more prominent stories on student and staff achievement and a greater emphasis on student voice, along with transformational learning. I am so proud to be your superintendent and am excited to welcome the new school year (of course, after a much needed break this summer.)

Be safe, be kind and go Huskies!

Renee Corneille