The Hamilton School District - Reason to Celebrate

There is a lot to celebrate about the – as parents, students and members of our community. 

In the years since Kathleen Cooke joined the district as our Superintendent, the district has made great strides toward improvement in all measures from achievement scores to quality of the school environment to teacher excellence. 

The administration and School Board have followed a detailed strategic plan for increasing achievement, honoring the needs of all students and engaging the entire community in these efforts.  This plan was not created by a group of administrators – it was crafted by a group representing the entire community: parents, teachers, students, clergy, business people and administrators.

Further, while our achievement scores consistently rank us near the top for our state.  This is a clear sign that the fiscal discipline that Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Bryan Ruud, brings to his job is working! 

Sometimes, focusing on what is going well is a great reminder of what is truly important.

But if you require more evidence you can look to the two school additions in the works that will be paid for entirely with existing funds. Can you find a district that is expanding and paying for it without a taxpayer referendum? Years ago the administration predicted an eventual slowing of growth and potential downturn and they prepared for it. 

As a result of their smart budgeting, economical use of resources and careful planning – they have been able to weather the downturn without any of the drama associated with neighboring districts that are struggling with declining enrollment, unhappy parents and suffering schools. 

Teachers

In 2011 teachers in our state weathered a rough year with job uncertainty tied to changes to their contracts and union. As a parent I was concerned that this political upheaval would seep into my children’s classrooms – and what I found is that the Hamilton district teachers could not have been more professional and more concerned with focusing on teaching my children—setting aside their personal concerns.  

Last spring when administrators were faced with having to quickly re-write teacher contracts and employee manuals, they assembled a committee of business leaders to guide their thinking about employee benefits. Together they aligned teacher health insurance and compensation with typical benefits enjoyed in the business world.   

The administration also communicated regularly and clearly what they were aiming to do and how they were going to do it to all parties concerned. Using fairness and respect as their watchwords the administration and school board have demonstrated their fiscal responsibility while honoring the value and contributions of their professional staff. As a result, the teaching staff in the district has been able to remain focused on what they are here for – teaching our children.  

In fact, last winter when teachers in other districts were calling in sick to attend protests – Hamilton had unusually strong teacher attendance compared to previous cold and flu seasons. One teacher told me that she preferred to work sick than call in ill and appear to have taken time off to protest. Indeed there is a lot to celebrate about our teachers!

Parents

Our district works hard to keep us informed–through letters, Moodle, Hamilton Matters, email and regular newsletters from the schools. Our favorable relationship with the Sussex Sun ensures that news of our schools is regularly and consistently shared with the community.

Hamilton is the only district I know of where the Superintendent has a standing monthly meeting with parents that is open to anyone who is interested. Perhaps it’s a further sign of our success that only a handful of regulars attend this meeting – despite the fact that it’s a great source for information.

Dr. Cooke consistently solicits parent input on things like the academic calendar, school lunch programs and curriculum development.  She is unfailingly patient and forthcoming. As parents we are blessed with such a responsive and responsible administration and School Board.

The Hamilton Education Foundation 

This is the district’s education foundation and it exists to support students and teachers by granting funds for educational pursuits. Anyone who has attended Dozer Day or the has experienced first-hand the fundraising work of this Foundation.

Hundreds of people have benefited from the opportunities afforded them by HEF grants.  Grants made possible by you – the donors -- and the hard work of the volunteer board that runs this important Foundation. Indeed we have much to be thankful for!

The Community

Perhaps the luckiest of all stakeholders is the community of Sussex.  Strong schools mean attractive communities. When Bloomberg Businessweek.com named Sussex as they cited strong schools, low cost of living and lack of crime as the main reasons. 

Rankings like this ensure stronger property values than communities with poorer schools. Our schools invite seniors to volunteer, the is open to the community, the community is encouraged to use of the high school, and they host community events like Spring Fest and actively support organizations like the . 

The Get Connected program provides a series of parenting topics free to the public. The district’s emphasis on community service means our children are learning about the importance of contributing to their community and keeping it strong. Indeed, even those without children or grandchildren in our schools can be thankful for this district!  

Perhaps it’s easy to forget how lucky we are because Hamilton lacks the drama of some school districts.

Finally, our students – we are blessed with students who consistently deliver high academic achievement scores across the district. Students who appear in our local news regularly in celebration of their excellence in , athletics, academics, public service and much, much more.  For this we can be grateful to the teachers, administrators, Hamilton Education Foundation and school board that ensure their education is as rich as possible. Our amazing students are proof positive of the many great successes we have had in the Hamilton District.  

Perhaps it’s easy to forget how lucky we are because Hamilton lacks the drama of some school districts. But it’s hard to argue with the overwhelming success of our district--thanks to the administration, teachers, support staff, students, parents, community and School Board who work so well together that there’s rarely reason to pay much attention to them. Our finances are solid, our schools are in great shape, our staff is working hard and our kids are thriving.

Sometimes, focusing on what is going well is a great reminder of what is truly important.