If you could envision the ideal school for your child, for your community, what would it be like? Would you describe it in terms of facilities, course offerings, instructional practices, assessment, achievement, test scores, teaching and learning, the quality of human relationships, all of the above, or more? Imagining what could be is something children seem to do instinctively. It is part of their play, their growth, and learning. This seems especially evident as students anticipate their return to school. Perhaps each of us can recall what it was like as we made those preparations. We may have had notions of recreating ourselves. I remember making mental commitments to get all my homework in on time or to work really hard this year. I had made up my mind to be successful and that this year was going to be better than the last. These are resolutions based in hope.

Public education is an expression of hope at the community level; hope for a better future for our children, hope for the creation of stronger, healthier communities, hope for improvement in the human condition throughout the world, in short, hope to become "still better than we are". As we embark on our journey through the academic school year, I ask you to join me in fostering a sense of optimism about what our schools could be. I am excited about working together to make our vision become a reality. We will strive to, in the words of Socrates, to "live better."