LPS Connector
Dear Lowell Public Schools Families, Faculty, Staff, and Community Partners,
I hope the start of the school year has been as positive for your family as it has been for our schools.
As I begin my second year as superintendent, I feel more prepared and confident than ever. I’m fortunate to work with a talented and dedicated central office team. This year, we have welcomed three new Assistant Superintendents to our leadership: Oneida Fox Roye for Curriculum & Instruction, Alice Brown-Legrand for Student Support Services, and Derek Pinto for Finance. They join our returning team members, Jim Hall (Human Resources & Operations), Latifah Phillips (Equity), and Wendy Crocker-Roberge (Schools & Leadership), and together we are committed to serving your children and our school community.
This summer, we successfully completed several important projects that will benefit our students, including new roofs, boilers, and paving work, as well as the opening of the modular classrooms at the STEM Academy and the Freshman Academy at Lowell High School. Most importantly, I’m happy to share that our students have settled into the school year and are actively engaged in their learning, thanks to the dedication of our teachers and staff. It’s been a great start, and I’m optimistic about the months ahead.
One of my personal goals this year is to use this newsletter to highlight an idea that is deeply important to me and to our district’s future: building a Culture of Continuous Improvement in the Lowell Public Schools.
This isn’t just a catchphrase. A Culture of Continuous Improvement means we are committed to ongoing growth, both as individuals and as a school system. It involves adopting certain dispositions and practices that will help us create a better learning environment for every student.
Some of these dispositions include:
- Intentional collaboration: Working together in a deliberate, purposeful way to achieve common goals for our students.
- Growth mindset: Believing that with effort, learning, and persistence, both students and educators can grow and develop their abilities over time.
- Responsibility: We all share leadership in our roles and are committed to ensuring the best outcomes for students.
And some of the key practices we are focusing on are:
- Collaborative structures: Through group meetings such as Professional Learning Communities and Common Planning Time, teachers and staff can align their efforts, share ideas, and support one another to enhance student learning.
- Data-driven decision making: We use data to guide important decisions, allocate resources wisely, and adjust strategies when needed. Teachers also use data daily to refine their lessons and respond to student needs in real-time.
- Coaching and professional growth: Just like our students, our teachers and staff are always learning. Personalized support, feedback, and guidance help them develop new skills and improve their practice.
- Reteaching opportunities: We understand that not all students learn at the same pace, so we build in chances for students to revisit and master material they may have struggled with the first time around.
Our goal is to foster a shared sense of continuous improvement across the district. We want to be clear about what this culture looks like, and we hope you’ll join us in supporting this mission. Your involvement, feedback, and partnership are key to building the best possible learning environment for your children.
I look forward to engaging with you through these monthly messages and encourage you to reach out with any thoughts, questions, or ideas. Together, we can shape a bright future for our students and our schools.
Thank you for your continued support.
Liam Skinner
Superintendent of Schools
