What I did this summer

It's time for class. Today, we are welcoming students back to the Cedar Rapids Community School District. They've been greeted at the bus stop, high-fived into their school buildings and embraced by their teachers with energy and enthusiasm. As we listen to their summer stories and begin setting them up for a successful school year, I want to also share with the community what my team and I have been up to this summer.

We took a hard look in the mirror to evaluate how we can do things better.

Leading a school district of nearly 15,000 students and 3,000 staff is a privilege — and one that I do not hold lightly. While there will be missteps along the way, my goal is to take what I have learned from every challenge and success to better inform how we move forward — together — and strive toward excellence.

This summer, my team and I retooled our approach to how we communicate with our teachers, staff, parents and guardians, and community. We have committed ourselves to listening, transparency and visibility through activities that got underway this summer and will continue throughout this school year and beyond. I do not take for granted my responsibility to support every individual in this school district, because I know firsthand the impact of belief.

Belief is hard-earned.

This summer, I got married — but let's rewind a bit. On our second date, the man who is now my husband invited me on a hike. If you know me, you know I am not outdoorsy, so I was nervous. But from the first step, he never let go of my hand. He encouraged me the entire way. He didn't criticize or question my experience. When a pair of seasoned hikers came down the trail with a warning that it was too difficult, my doubt returned.

But he told me: "You can do this."

After 5.8 miles, I had accomplished something I never believed I could do — because someone believed in me. And the view from that vantage point was breathtaking.

Each of us has the power to instill this belief in others, particularly our students. That is why the Cedar Rapids Community School District's theme for this school year, "We Believe," is more than a motto. It's a call to action — for myself and the entire district — that will come true when we show up for each other every day.

We are already seeing progress. Over the last year, our students' performance gave us much to celebrate:

These improvements are a start, not the destination. The steady growth we've already seen gives us reason to believe that continued hard work, transparent communication and a culture of caring will help us reach our goals.

I believe in our students. I believe in our educators. I believe in our community.

This past Friday, we kicked off the school year with an all-staff meeting at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse. Our staff entered with energy, jumping to their feet when their school was called, cheering for themselves and others as milestones were celebrated, and waving their "We Believe" signs. Our belief in each other and our students was evident.

We are still on our journey to excellence, and this culture will carry the Cedar Rapids Community School District forward in building a community that cares, listens and believes. Thank you for going on this journey with us.

Dr. Tawana Grover is superintendent of the Cedar Rapids Community School District.