Welcome back to school message from Superintendent Connell

Welcome to a new school year.

There is something truly special about the beginning of September that I have always loved. Schools come back to life. Classrooms are ready, hallways fill up, and across the division, thousands of students arrive carrying all the excitement, nerves, questions and possibilities that come with a new year.

This September is a new beginning for me, too.

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of joining the Louis Riel School Division as Superintendent and CEO. For those I haven't yet had the opportunity to meet, I thought I would use my first message to introduce myself, share a little about what matters to me, and, most importantly, welcome you and your children back to school.

I am a Red River Métis woman, born and raised in Winnipeg. I have spent 22 years working in public education as a teacher, resource teacher, guidance counsellor, school administrator, assistant superintendent and, most recently, as Manitoba's Assistant Deputy Minister of Indigenous Excellence in Education.

I am someone who believes deeply in public education.

I believe in the people who make it work every day: teachers, educational assistants, school leaders, office staff, clinicians, custodians, bus drivers, divisional staff and many others. I believe in schools where children are valued, challenged, supported and cared for. And I believe families and caregivers are meaningful partners in the education of their children.

That last piece matters a great deal to me. You know your children in ways we never will. You know what excites them, what worries them, when something isn't quite right and when they are capable of more. Schools bring professional expertise to that relationship, but families bring knowledge that is equally important. When those things come together, children are better served.

Over the coming months, I hope to spend a great deal of time listening and learning.

You will see me in schools, at events and in the community. In addition to wanting to hear from students & staff, I want to hear from families and caregivers about what you value in LRSD, where we are getting it right, and where can do better.

I won't pretend that we will always agree. In a school division serving thousands of children, families and staff across diverse communities, that wouldn't be realistic. But I do believe we can be honest with one another, listen carefully, ask difficult questions when they need to be asked, and keep students at the centre of our decision making.

As we begin this year, one of the things I will be thinking a great deal about is belonging.

Belonging is the first priority in LRSD's Multi-Year Strategic Plan, and I think there is good reason for this. Children learn best when they are safe, respected, and reflected in their school communities, and when they know there is a place for them there. That has to be true for every child. It also means belonging cannot simply be something we say we value. Our students and families should be able to see it and feel it in their everyday experiences: in classrooms and libraries, on playgrounds, on school teams, in the curriculum, in the way we respond when things get tough, and in the relationships we build with one another.

There is much for me to learn about LRSD, and I am looking forward to that. But what has already become clear in my first few weeks is how deeply people care about this community and about the children and young people we serve.

Thriving Learners. Flourishing Communities. As I begin this role, those words feel particularly important. Schools do not thrive separately from the communities around them, and strong communities need strong public schools.

So, as we begin another year, thank you for trusting us with your children. Thank you to the families and caregivers who support them each day, and to the staff across LRSD who have worked incredibly hard to prepare for their return.

Most of all, to our students: welcome back. I hope this is a year where you learn a lot, laugh often, find people who make school a little better, that try something new, and know that you belong here.

I am incredibly proud to join the Louis Riel School Division, and I am looking forward to the work ahead.

See you in our schools.

Sincerely,

Jackie Connell

Superintendent & CEO

Louis Riel School Division