Welcome Letter from Stephen Wilder

Dear Parents, Students, and Community Members,

I want to begin this edition of the newsletter by thanking everyone for their hospitality, warm wishes, welcoming smiles and handshakes, and offers to help us settle in. When we decided to accept this position and relocate to our new home, we did so knowing that Knoxville was a small, tight-knit, friendly community. We have experienced that in so many ways in the past few weeks and it's made the process of settling in so much easier.

As I begin my new position, I think it's important to share some of my philosophy and thoughts on the upcoming school year and the future.

Students Come First
I've believed since my first days as an educator that schools exist to educate students, first and foremost. Students are here to grow, and learn so that they can reach their fullest potential. Our teachers and staff are here to facilitate that growth and learning, and as administrators I believe our job is to support teachers and staff. Often times our jobs are one (or more) degrees removed from students, but I believe that should be our guide.

Teamwork
I am also a firm believer in team work. Some of you have already heard me say this in person, but our jobs can be challenging and we are strongest and most effective when we work together. While that sometimes mean we may disagree, it doesn't mean that we can't still work together. I hope we often agree, but when we don't I've always strived to "agree to disagree". We are at our best when we work together with the same goal in mind...our students!

Responsibility
No matter what our roles, as teachers, staff members, administrators, students, parents, and members of the community (with or without students in our schools), we all have a responsibility to our students. The old saying goes something like "it takes a village to raise a child". Students have a responsibility to apply themselves to the best of their ability, educators have a responsibility to "bring their 'A' game" every day, administrators have the responsiblity to make informed and appropriate decisions, and parents and members of the community have the responsibility to support our students and schools. I know so many of you are involved and invested in our schools. Please know that I take my responsibilities to administer the programs and the resources of the district very seriously as I know you do, too.

The Future
I'm still learning about the district at every level, from the performance and achievement of our students, to our current financial standing, to the condition of our facilities. My immediate goal is to learn as much as I can in this first year, and work with the Board of Education, teachers and staff to plan for both the short and long term future of the district. Knoxville schools are already great places to learn and grow, my goal is to make them even better.

The financial picture around our State and Nation continues to be grim. We are challenged to continue to be fiscally conservative without letting our programs slide. With a possible "Penny Sales Tax" on the ballot for November, some assistance may be on the way. Should it be on the ballot and pass, I recognize that revenue would come in the form of an increased burden on all of us as taxpayers. Because that revenue can not be used for salaries or benefits, I am planning how best to use those funds to offset other commitments and/or potential projects such as paying off the construction at Mable Woolsey earlier than anticipated, financing the Track project to some degree, and/or other facility improvements. To be responsible, I am also planning to "live within our means" if that revenue were not available.

In Closing
Before signing off, I want to thank everyone again for welcoming my family and I to Knoxville. I would be remiss if I didn't specifically extend a 'thank you' to the Board of Education for their hard work and support of me. I know the City Council is going to use 'We Are Knoxville' in future efforts to encourage pride in our community and development in Knoxville. While it's hard for me to say that 'I am Knoxville' after only a few days on the job, I am excited to be here and earn that privilege. I look forward to working with all of you for the success of our students.

Stephen M. Wilder
Superintendent

Stephen M. Wilder
Superintendent
Knoxville CUSD #202
600 E. Main St.
Knoxville, IL 61448
309-289-2328
309-289-9614 (fax)
http://knoxville202.bluebullets.org/