It is with great joy
that I send you best wishes for the coming new year.
As always, let me say what a privilege it is to work with
such a wonderful community with such dedicated people. I am continually impressed with the quality professionals
we have in Yorkville.
I believe that having a vision for this District is to
continually draw upon a picture of how
great this District can and will be.
This process is not without difficulty and will require trust and
perseverance in order for our contributions to make a real difference in the
lives of our students. A short and
simple book with a powerful message, entitled, The Simple Truths of Service:
inspired by, “Johnny the Bagger”, by Blanchard and Glanz. The authors share a
story about a 19 year old bagger with Down Syndrome who transformed a store’s
culture, through his belief that he could make a difference in the lives of
customers.
“No matter what our job or
position may be, we possess a unique understanding of this world and have our
own ideas and gifts to share” (p. 72).
I equate Blanchard and Glanz’s thoughts about customer
service to teaching. Great teaching has to come from the inside out. You cannot
mandate it. You can’t threaten, reward, or coerce people to care. You can only
awaken the desire and then give them the permission and encouragement to make
it come alive through their teaching. Our children are too important to leave
greatness to chance and it is also my belief the faculty and staff in Yorkville
CUSD 115 feels the same way.
During this holiday season, I hope that everyone makes some
time for reflection and rededication. We
are making great strides in completing the picture and vision of greatness for
District 115. This is a credit to the hard work everyone is doing each day. We
recognize that great customer service, like great teaching, is not an accident.
It starts by deciding what kind of experience we want our children to have, and
having relentless passion to make it happen.
The best preparation for a
better life next year is a commitment to making a difference today, as it is
never too late to start. Now is the time
to reenergize our spirits and make 2012 the best year ever.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Scott E. Wakeley
Superintendent
