Message from Superintendent to the entire district staff (March 2012)

Dear Staff:
This is a busy season in the Seaford School District. As our executive leadership team
and I have been visiting schools weekly, we have been noticing lots of great things
happening within our school district as it relates to paying attention to the small details
and as it relates to focusing on teaching and learning.
The weather has been great, and when you drive up to Blades Elementary School, one
cannot help but to notice the beautiful flowers that have been planted in the front of the
building. Those flowers represent more than just a beautification project. They
represent the dedication and attention to detail staff, parents, and students are paying to
the environment at Blades Elementary School. As students enter the building each
morning, they must feel proud of the fact that someone cared enough about them to
want to beautify the building for them. I want to thank principal Susan Nancarrow and
the entire community of Blades Elementary School for paying attention to what may
seem like small details. Some of the smallest details can have the biggest impact on a
child and a community, and those flowers gave me a warm, welcoming feeling as I
walked the campus of the school. As I entered the building last week, I shared with a
colleague that if I were a parent or community member, Id appreciate the time and care
that went into creating a welcoming environment for me and my children.
Similarly, you can learn a great deal about the level of focus on teaching and learning
even when kids are not in school. This was a lesson that I better understood this past
Friday as I visited Dr. Todd Fishburn at West Seaford Elementary School. Friday was a
professional day, and students were not in school. However, from the moment, I
entered West Seaford Elementary School, I saw physical evidence regarding their level
of focus, transparency, and performance. As you enter West Seaford Elementary
School, and you look to the right, there is a large television screen displaying West
Seaford Elementary Schools recent state performance data. As you look to the left,
visitors see bulls-eye targets illustrating the performance levels that are expected. Walk
through any of the halls at West Seaford Elementary School, and you will see data
illustrating to the community how their students are behaving, how well students are
reading, and information about community events. Students work is not only posted,
but one can see the objectives for the lessons that are on display, along with the
essential themes that were covered by the assignment on many walls. Flags of
universities like the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Harvard, North Carolina A &T,
The University of Delaware, and Delaware State University are prominently displayed.
I was inspired enough to begin searching for a Lincoln University flag to add. It is on the
way
Dr. Fishburn did not need to tell me the focus of his school. I could easily see he was
focused on increasing rigor, collaboration, and high expectations. It was evident. I think
everyone within our school district could benefit from the example of focus that West
Seaford Elementary School provides our community.

Teaching is complex. There are many facets to doing it well. Thats why we need to
collaborate to ensure that our children are advantaged. It can be done. We just need
to get out and broaden our horizons by seeing the exemplars that are on display in each
of our schools.
If you havent done so, stop by the next listen and learn to talk with me about what we
need to do to ensure our children a competitive edge. It will be at 7:30 pm at Blades
Elementary School on 3-21-12. As we continue to define what excellence in teaching
and learning means within the Seaford School District, we will guarantee all of our
children the promise of a college-ready reality. See you soon!
Shawn Joseph, Ed.D.
Superintendent