J. Sterling Morton School District 201

Dear Friends of Morton High School District 201,

I am both honored and humbled to have the trust and confidence of the Board of Education of Morton High School District 201 placed in me as superintendent to lead our district into the future. I want to thank the board, the faculty, administration, staff, parents, students and all key stakeholders in our district who have reached out to extend their congratulations and well wishes. I am honored to have their support and I look forward to embracing the opportunity to work with all of you to chart the course for our future.

Our district, like the majority of school districts throughout Illinois, faces a wide spectrum of challenges. For quite a while now, the State of Illinois has made series of financial promises that it has, quite disappointingly, not been keeping. For this fiscal year alone, our district is owed more than $1.6 million in funds from the State of Illinois that we have yet to receive. We have every reason to expect that funding from the state in the coming years will be decreased.

With the State of Illinois not meeting it's past or current promises, we must plan for the future accordingly to insure the integrity of our core programs in the face of these fiscal realities.

While our current predicament will require sacrifices to be made by all, I am working actively to reach out to all employees in our district, working hand-in-hand with the Board of Education and our administrative team to find long-term and sustainable solutions that minimize the impact on the students in our charge.

I have devised a five-pronged approach to tackling the challenges that face our district:

Hold adults accountable;

Enhance learning opportunities for all children;

Ensure parents and the community are active, strategic partners in the educational process;

Provide safe and well-maintained schools to enhance learning;