Welcome Back
Randolph Learning Community,
The start of an academic year is filled with endless possibility. Although I have experienced several decades of “first days” of school, each new year is different and more exciting than the last. As I visited our schools today, the smiling faces of our students reinforced how proud I am to work with such an exceptional team of educators. To continually witness the highest levels of educational excellence, compassion, and kindness in our schools is indicative of the selfless work happening in Randolph to empower our students to be the visionary, well-rounded leaders we know they will become.
The past few years have been extremely difficult for students, staff and families in Randolph and across the country. Although we have adjusted to a “new normal,” I understand that for many the world may still not feel normal. Our goal to prioritize the health and happiness of our school community is no different than in previous school years. However, we continue to be cognizant that many people are still processing a range of emotions, concerns, worries and possibly even fears as a result of the complex experiences we have faced. To combat these challenges, we have continued to bolster the specialized programs and resources which support the mental health, social, and emotional well-being of our school community. These supports will remain critical as we provide each staff member and student with the individual attention they need to succeed on a personal level.
I want to take this opportunity to recognize our exemplary teachers and staff who have gone above and beyond during some of the most trying of circumstances. We often don’t reflect deeply on how significant our educators influence is on society and culture. However, there is a saying that I appreciate which states: “Engineers make bridges. Artists make paintings. Scientists make rockets. But teachers make them all.” The children our world class team collectively supports, cares for, educates and mentors will one day influence the trajectory of the entire world and this is no small responsibility. As a point of emphasis, the New York Times once reported that the average American knows about 600 people. With age, our interactions only continue to grow; with reports estimating that a single person can expect to meet over 10,000 people over the course of their lifetime. As technology and social media platforms continue to expand, the amount of people we will interact with will only undoubtedly increase. Our mission to educate the whole child in Randolph, when reflected upon through this lens, bears so much more significance than one can even imagine. Our school community is not only inspiring and empowering each student to reach their highest personal potential, we are also an active participant in the improvement of thousands if not millions of other people’s lives as a result of our educators’ work. Education truly changes the world.
I am so grateful for the continued support of our staff and families as we partner to continue to change the world one day at a time. I wish everyone in our school community wellness and happiness as we start our first month of learning. We still have many challenges to face as a school community, but at the same time we have so much to look forward to. We are stronger and more innovative than we have ever been, and I am truly humbled by the opportunity to work alongside such exceptional individuals in our schools and in the greater Randolph community. We also have so much to celebrate as we move into the new year. Randolph High School is ranked in the top 8% of public high schools nationally, Randolph Middle School has also been nationally recognized as a School to Watch, our performing arts programs are consistently exceeding national standards winning numerous awards, and we are fortunate to have one of the state’s very best athletic programs. We should all be very proud of what we have already achieved together, and our outstanding success is reassuring for what we will undoubtedly continue to achieve in the future.
Have a wonderful week and a great start to the school year.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Fano