Dr. Michelle Lee, Ottawa ES District 141

As we begin the second half of our school year, barely six months-in, since I began my role as Superintendent, I’m struck by the progress we’ve made. Across the country, schools returned to their first fully ‘normal’ year in nearly 30-months and, here in Ottawa, we were no exception. Our professional educators, paraprofessionals, administrators, and staff members in all five buildings have met the moment with a palpable resolve and, in these first two quarters, it has shown-up in all kind of ways, big and small, making a difference in the lives of our kids. To our committed team, thank you.

Moving forward, we remain committed to putting our kids first in all we do, but supporting one another as members of this region’s finest team of educators is a key priority toward that commitment. Without the efforts and expertise of this team, unified behind this commitment, we’d be a very different school district.

In this issue of Visions141, you’ll meet several of those committed professionals, as well as a longtime member of the school board, all of whom personify everything good and fine about our schools and our community. You’ll also meet some young people in the District who are showing all of us how to be good friends, hard workers, clever thinkers, inspired artists, and relentless chasers of dreams.

It’s a great time to be a part of Ottawa schools, to be fully back to business, and to making strides toward our best days yet to come. I hope you’ll take a few moments to not only read the stories from within your schools, but to consider immersing yourself more deeply into that larger story. We are always better together, and so I invite you to reach out, say hello, and consider joining us in any number of our open roles, as a volunteer, a mentor, or as a neighbor who’d simply like to drop by to say hello. To a wonderful second half…

Dr. Michelle Lee, Ottawa ES District 141