Office of the Superintendent

Hello everyone! My name is David Engstrom, and I am honored to have been your superintendent since July 2021. 

Each of the schools and communities that make up our district has its own unique profile. What we all share is a commitment to our kids. We know the years from birth to young adulthood make all the difference in who our young people become and how they function in the world. We believe a free and equitable public education is the best way to make a positive difference for our students, and for our communities. 

The events of the last two years have made it clear that schools and districts are able to change when the need arises. We need to address the stark realities behind why so many students do not experience success in our schools, and to do this we are creating a new strategic plan. 

It’s taking a little longer than we had thought it would, but I believe that’s all to the good. The issues are thorny and decades in the making, and we can’t rush our plans for better serving our students and their families. 

As we flesh out the plan, we will continue to listen – first and foremost to our young people. They’ve told us they want teachers who look like them, and they want to see themselves in what they learn. This is only one of the ways they don’t want our schools to go back to how they were before the pandemic. 

There are many others. 

A growing awareness is shaping our world: we must act decisively if we are to save our democracy, our planet, and our very lives. I will do everything I can to make our schools vibrant with opportunity for every student, where young people from all backgrounds learn to think about and act on the issues that can change everything.

David Engstrom