Posted July 15, 2021
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as the new principal of Isabella Bird Community School. I hope that this note finds you enjoying the beginning of the rejuvenating days of summer and that you and your children are looking forward to beginning a wonderful school year together in August. We are all looking ahead as we move forward out of a national pandemic, a global economic crisis and renewed call for social justice. I can almost hear a collective exhale from the community as we reached the end of a very long year.
I just completed my seventh year at Isabella Bird. Throughout my educational career, I’ve worn many hats– including general education teacher, special education teacher, gifted and talented teacher, teacher leader, behavior specialist, and assistant principal. These experiences have culminated in a deep appreciation, understanding and respect for the work teachers and staff perform every day in service of kids. It’s also manifested in a belief and value for equity and excellence—these values guide my practice each and every day.
The pandemic also highlighted the importance of community partnership and the role parents play as integral to the success of each student. Moving forward, we will focus on our culture in order to preserve and cultivate an inclusive climate, inside and outside of the classroom, where all young people can thrive. Our goal will remain to develop students as socially conscious independent thinkers who disrupt systems that produce inequality and build a more just future for all.
Isabella Bird Community School was built upon foundational values of empathy, compassion and respect for individual difference. I ask that you lean into these values as we forge ahead together. It is through our words and actions we all contribute to a culture and climate that promotes health, wellbeing and healing for our community. Margaret Wheatley articulated this beautifully when she said– there is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.
Let’s look ahead to what may be possible for education on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. My hope is that our school is at the center of the community with engaged and empowered families who partner with us to create the inclusive school we all dream of. I believe it is possible to envision education emerging from the coronavirus pandemic stronger than it was before.
In closing, please know that my door is always open to you. I heartily welcome your conversation and positive input throughout this year. Let us always keep our students the primary focus of our work as we heal and walk together with a shared vision for what’s possible. I look forward to celebrating our collective successes during the 2021-2022 school year.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Rebecca Mercer
Principal
Isabella Bird Community School