It was 30 years ago that I arrived in Delaware and started my career in education as a teacher in the Cape Henlopen School District. At that time, I didn’t know too much about Sussex County or the Cape Henlopen School District, but it wasn’t long before it was clear to me that I fell upon something special. Since that day and so many times since, I have been reminded of this, most of all because of the incredible people who call our community home.
Whether it is to help our neediest families, support a referendum to build schools, provide more resources for our students or staff, or come together in times of crisis, our community always comes through to get things done.
For all of these reasons and so many more, I am extremely appreciative and fortunate to call the Cape Community my home.
The most recent example of our Cape Community going above and beyond to support our students and staff is with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since last spring, countless people and organizations have done so much to lift up and support our students and our staff so that we are able to do our very best to meet the needs of our students.
These needs go well beyond just academics. They include nutrition through meals, social interaction, mental health, and overall health/safety, all of which are equally import to the overall growth and success of our students.
When facing challenges, some people, organizations, or communities become divided. But school districts and communities with a strong and positive culture can work through times like these and become stronger in doing so.
A strong culture can only exist when a large majority of any group believes in the same thing or cause, and are passionate and persistent in their support of that cause.
We are fortunate to live in a community that strongly believes our students deserve the very best we have to offer and are willing to reinforce that belief with incredible levels of support.
Our community has shown time and time again a culture of support, love, and compassion for our students and staff, and the roots of this culture run deep within the families, students and community members that call Cape their home.
Some of our community members have been here their entire lives, many before my time here.
There are also plenty of new people/families who have joined our Cape Community along the way, and somehow this mix of the longtime locals and others who have moved here over the years just works. Just like in our schools, our Cape Community has been strengthened by the collective differences, backgrounds and experiences of the people living here.
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to our Cape Community for your support over the past eight years that I have served as the district’s superintendent.
The support has especially been evident over these last several months as we have worked through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic together.
Have a safe and happy 2021. The best is yet to come!
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