Dear West Linn-Wilsonville Families and Staff,

Welcome Back to school! I want to thank our teachers, support staff, school leaders, Technology Department, Nutrition Services Department, Operations Staff, District Office staff, and parent volunteers who worked collaboratively all summer to help us launch successfully into the new school year. It has been heart-warming to hear the stories from this week about our students’ eagerness and readiness to learn; the joy-filled classroom meetings taking place; and connections with one another being made.

Our successful start is also weighted heavily by the devastating wildfires impacting our neighbors, friends, and family members in surrounding areas. We know that there is additional fear, trauma, devastation of livelihood, and immense loss being experienced by those close by and dear to us. Our thoughts extend to those suffering at this time. 

We will continue to keep you informed as things develop, so please stay connected and check the district website for updates. We caution our students, families, and staff to stay safe during these challenging times and to remember that relationships and human life are most valuable and most precious. 

In my opening message to staff in August, I outlined three areas for us to focus on this year as we remain committed to our district mission, “How do we create learning communities for the greatest thinkers and most thoughtful people…for the world?” Prompted by the late Representative John Lewis to “lead forward,” especially when times are tough and the road ahead is not knowable, we commit to:

1. Leading Forward with our Equity Work — We have a compelling District Goal #1 to center our focus: “Grow student achievement through the use of high leverage instructional and engagement strategies to raise rigor, disrupt systems of racism, and generate equitable outcomes for all students while eliminating opportunity and achievement gaps.”
2. Leading Forward with Inclusive Practices — In the West Linn-Wilsonville School District, we believe that all students belong. The evidence from decades of educational research shows that ALL students learn better in inclusive settings, including students with and without disabilities. 
3. Leading Forward with Online Learning — We commit to effective online learning that involves high levels of engagement, rigor, care, and connection. Our instruction online must continue to generate equitable outcomes, ensuring that we don’t contribute to widening the opportunity gap during this time. 

We thank our generous community for partnering with us in doing whatever it takes to create learning communities for the greatest thinkers and most thoughtful people…for the world. Thank you for your generosity of spirit, and thank you for being a resource to neighbors you know and neighbors you have never met before with meals, school resources, donations, or a safe place to harbor. We are stronger together!

Thank you for sharing your children with us and supporting the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. We are excited for the new school year ahead!

Leading Forward,

Kathy Ludwig, Superintendent

Estimadas Familias y Personal de West Linn-Wilsonville,