Superintendent's Message for April 2021

April has come in with beautiful weather and we continue to be excited that kids remain in our school buildings.  A year after the Covid-19 pandemic began and we have kids in the halls and the classrooms talking and laughing; it has been a fantastic year.  The school year continues to move on and we are very close to the end of a year for the ages.  Southwest Valley Schools and our communities have weathered a storm that no one saw coming.  We were knocked down, bounced right back up, did what Iowans do and keep moving forward.  Our children have been thrown about every pitch they can be thrown and have still hung around to finish this year strong.

Since mid-November, we have required masks and the students and staff have done the best that can be expected with the situation.  The country has been divided between the presidency, the pandemic, and everything in between, but we keep moving forward because that is what Timberwolves do!  The pack has not backed down or lost the way on this journey.  It has not been a straight easy path and that is ok.  We have had our patience, character, and resiliency tested, but we have kept our focus on moving forward and achieving desired results and living our mission.  Thank you, Southwest Valley family, for helping us!  We are in this together.

We have launched a survey this month and need your participation to help us continue to improve as a school district.  We constantly review data and try to find the best way to provide high-quality learning experiences for our students.  The Iowa Association of School Boards has provided this survey.  The data will be analyzed by the administration and lead teams to help us understand how to continue to improve student achievement.  The link is on our school website and the school’s Facebook page.  The survey should take approximately nine minutes to complete.  Please take time to fill out the survey. 

The spring athletic seasons are off to a great start after a year off and we are excited to see our kids participate in tennis, track, and golf.  We will be having our spring concerts, musicals, prom, and graduation.  These all may be routine sounding, but it is far from being normal after the year we just had.  Just to be able to have these events warms my heart more than anyone will ever know. 

Life has changed a lot in the 2020-2021 school year and I think if we all step back, we will realize it has made us look at the things we often take for granted: masks, social distancing, and just a hug from a loved one.  Southwest Valley has weathered the storm because we have great people in our communities, great people in our schools educating and taking care of our children, and I am very grateful that I am a part of this team!  Go T-wolves!