Greetings to the Great Community of Council! 

Allow me the distinct privilege of introducing myself as Council's new Superintendent of Schools.  I served the community and District during the 23-24 school year as the K-12 Principal, with my primary focus of daily operations being at the Elementary School.  I am grateful to continue on with the District as both the Elementary Principal and your Superintendent.  Although the demands of the role are many, I am truly excited to approach this responsibility with integrity and grit, while supporting the community, your students, and our fine educators to the best of my ability.   

I view education as an opportunity to shift paradigms or long-standing beliefs about what education, leadership, genius, and talent can and should be.  I encourage our educators to step out of the box when working with students and operate under the belief that learning is not one-size-fits-all and that to truly reach our students, we must understand not just what they need to learn, but also how best the individual receives the information.  I believe in teaching to the whole person and that we must consider outside influences on students and think back to what it was like to be an adolescent when communicating with them.  

The principles of Adlerian psychology, which operate under the premise that people are social beings and strive to belong and contribute, that a misbehaving child is a discouraged child, that behavior is goal-oriented, that all people are equal, and that mistakes are opportunities to learn, have formed the foundation of my educational philosophy.  I feel that anyone can be a leader and that given the right environment and supports all individuals can rise and find their voice.    

My hope is that together and over time, we can build upon the greatness in this community and District and offer our students the educational environment that they want and deserve.  This vision requires trust and communication.  We need your support, in a proactive manner, to encourage your students' participation in school, care about their attendance and academic performance and contribute in a positive fashion toward the betterment of their school.  I hold true to the notion that change starts within, and I believe that together, change for the good is always a possibility.  

I welcome you to please come and visit with me anytime and share your thoughts, experiences and or expertise, ideas, or simply to just meet and get to know me.  I appreciate the opportunity that has been afforded to me and am grateful to be a part of your community and students' education.

Sincerely,

Pat Griffin