In February, the Albany School District and nine other districts were invited to participate in a collaborative project "W3."
W3 represents three of the largest educational groups in the state, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB), Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA) and the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC). The leaders representing each organization have adopted the following mission statement that explains what we are trying to accomplish: "We commit to develop, model and sustain a culture of respect and collaboration that promotes synergy for our shared value of ensuring a world-class public education system for all students."
This is a monumental movement for education in Wisconsin on many levels. Though each of these groups often had similar goals for education, the relationships between these groups generally had been adversarial, diminishing their effectiveness at promoting positive changes in education.
This was quite an honor to be selected from more than 400 school districts, but it demonstrates what this district is all about and what we have worked so hard to achieve here. For the past several years, the administration, school board and teachers have been working together to build the best educational system we can. This hasn't always been easy, and there have been times when there were disagreements, but we've worked through them.
Now, perhaps more than ever before, the Albany Schools are leaders in education locally and throughout the state. As a united team with a common cause, we will be much more able to handle the numerous obstacles facing education now and in the future. The W3 groups and the Albany Schools' teachers, board and administration believe "that our organizations are stronger working together to advance the interest of public education." We also agree there is a need to work "together in a collaborative way to build and sustain support for public schools."
- Steve Guenther is administrator and elementary school principal in the Albany School District.
W3 represents three of the largest educational groups in the state, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB), Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA) and the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC). The leaders representing each organization have adopted the following mission statement that explains what we are trying to accomplish: "We commit to develop, model and sustain a culture of respect and collaboration that promotes synergy for our shared value of ensuring a world-class public education system for all students."
This is a monumental movement for education in Wisconsin on many levels. Though each of these groups often had similar goals for education, the relationships between these groups generally had been adversarial, diminishing their effectiveness at promoting positive changes in education.
This was quite an honor to be selected from more than 400 school districts, but it demonstrates what this district is all about and what we have worked so hard to achieve here. For the past several years, the administration, school board and teachers have been working together to build the best educational system we can. This hasn't always been easy, and there have been times when there were disagreements, but we've worked through them.
Now, perhaps more than ever before, the Albany Schools are leaders in education locally and throughout the state. As a united team with a common cause, we will be much more able to handle the numerous obstacles facing education now and in the future. The W3 groups and the Albany Schools' teachers, board and administration believe "that our organizations are stronger working together to advance the interest of public education." We also agree there is a need to work "together in a collaborative way to build and sustain support for public schools."
- Steve Guenther is administrator and elementary school principal in the Albany School District.
