Oxford Community Schools

Dear Oxford Students and Parents,

As we end this school year, I want to thank you for your faith and encouragement during so much difficulty that took incredible courage from all of us. The love, compassion, and support shown to one another over and over, day after day during the most unimaginable of times is truly humbling. I am so proud of our school community. 

While there have been many tough moments in my first three months in this position, I was never more confident in my decision to be the next superintendent than on May 19, when our Wildcats graced the graduation stage at Pine Knob in Clarkston. The Class of 2022 was forced to develop an unparalleled sense of resilience and Kylie Ossege, our Senior Speaker, embodied this resiliency as she addressed the senior class. The Class of 2022 experienced a senior year like none other in the wake of the Nov. 30 tragedy that claimed the lives of Tate, Hana, Madisyn, and Justin. Two of our cherished Wildcats – Madisyn and Justin – belonged with their classmates on the stage that night.

As our students depart for the summer, the attention of district administration turns to preparing for our students’ return in the fall. I want to assure you that we love our students, and we are committed to helping all of us heal. As part of this healing process, we will be preparing for next year with a focus on making sure our students are ready for future success. As with the rest of our dedicated staff, I am determined to give our Wildcats every opportunity to be their best.

As we look to the next school year, I want to update you on our progress with the development of our three-year plan for recovery.  On June 21, I will present to our school board the data our administrators have collected from our spring surveys, forums, and other sources of data. Our administrative team will then take the month of July to work with an outside organization such as the National Center for School Safety (NCSS) on developing our three-year plan for recovery in the areas of Safety/Security, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Staff Retention and Wellness, and Government/Community Outreach. On August 9, we will present the plan to our school board. Once approved by the board, the last step will be to present the plan to the school community in a town hall format before school starts in the fall.  

I have mixed emotions in seeing our students head out for the summer.  I will surely miss their optimism, smiles, and energy over the coming months, but I am sure they are ready for summer vacation!  This summer, I encourage everyone to continue finding ways to show love, kindness, and grace to family members, friends, classmates, coworkers and even those you pass on the street. Never stop your efforts to make a positive impact on our community and others.

I hope your summer is filled with plenty of rest, relaxation, and endless days of summer family fun.