Engaging learners, strengthening communities, creating global leaders — this is the vision for Regional School Unit 18. The school board has faced complex and demanding challenges. It can be said that they have the most important volunteer jobs in the country. Yet our members with an extraordinary dedication to RSU 18 are often ridiculed and personally attacked.

Remember board members, that many more of us applaud you for your vision and voice to help shape a better tomorrow for our learners. You could have chosen to continue with status quo and faced criticism, or you could have chosen to move forward and risk criticism. Well here you are and the latter is true. More than three years ago the district and community decided to lead our students with a model to prepare them for careers that we can’t begin to be aware of by the time they graduate. You will need to continuously assess, evaluate and refine our model, and regardless of what it’s called, remember the mission is to provide learning environments that promote critical thinking and learning in a style that best suits the student, yet is teacher-led and assessed.

Let us not forget that some of our amazing graduates have gone on to be Olympic athletes, political leaders, businessmen and women, professional musicians, artists, skilled workers, military officers, parents and so much more. But my favorite are the ones who chose to be teachers and return to the district. We need to recognize that the world is different and the pressures facing our children are far greater than we could ever have imagined. They must learn, not just memorize material. I publicly thank you teachers, administrators, staff and board members for a job well done.

Kelly Roderick

Oakland