In case you missed the article in The Oxford Leader this week!
We Heard You: A Message of Gratitude and Progress
On behalf of our entire district, I want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who participated in our recent listening events. Whether you joined us in person, via Zoom, or through our survey, your voice was invaluable. As I continue my second year as superintendent, these conversations are especially important to me as I learn, listen, and work alongside this community.
Following the November 4th vote, it was essential for us to step back and engage in honest, direct dialogue. We didn’t just want to acknowledge your concerns; we wanted to understand the “why” behind them. Over the past month, our team has carefully reviewed your feedback to better understand community priorities and shape our work moving forward.
What We Learned
Your feedback was clear and consistent. While our community’s commitment to student success remains unwavering, there are key areas we must address together:
Trust, Healing, and Accountability: Strengthening trust must remain an ongoing focus as our community continues to heal. This requires us to be present, empathetic, and consistent. You also shared the importance of clear leadership accountability, with ownership of challenges and follow-through on commitments.
Financial Understanding and Transparency: Many community members want a clearer connection between how school funds are spent and the experiences of students in the classroom. You asked for greater transparency and clearer explanations of how dollars support programs, staffing, and services.
Communication and Information Gaps: You want district information shared in ways that are most helpful to the community, using clear language and multiple formats. You also expressed interest in more opportunities to engage, ask questions, and better understand complex topics such as school finance.
Turning Feedback into Action
We are using your feedback to guide real change. One step toward strengthening connections between the district and the community is the formation of the Citizen School Finance Group. This group will serve as a direct line of communication between our finance team and the community and will meet regularly to share clear financial information and facilitate two-way dialogue about community priorities. If you are interested in joining, please email info@oxfordschools.org.
Our schools are the heart of Oxford, and they are strongest when residents feel heard and valued. We plan to improve communication with the community by providing updates like this one in the first edition of the
Oxford Leader each month and on our website, keeping you informed about district initiatives, progress, and opportunities to engage. Thank you for your honesty, your insight, and dedication to our students. We are listening, and we are ready to work together to support every learner in our district.