One of my favorite quotations comes from Dr. Cornel West, the famous professor emeritus at Princeton University.
You can find the quote at the bottom of my personal email signature: “Empathy is not simply a matter of trying to imagine what others are going through, but having the will to muster enough courage to do something about it.”
In a way, empathy is predicated upon hope. That hope is supported here through the opportunity for all Robbinsville students to achieve a better tomorrow through the education that we provide for them today.
To me, as a school leader, Professor West reminds us about the necessity of action, extending far beyond merely understanding another person’s feelings. True empathy requires us to go beyond putting ourselves in the shoes of our students; it demands the willingness to take whatever action is needed to support their learning at every step of their educational journey.
Part of supporting this journey is developing our teachers and our administrators who empower their work. Great school districts have great teachers, supported by caring, focused and ethical administrators.
In Robbinsville, we already have an effective team ready to take on this challenge. The best is yet to come!
To meet our goals, we need to partner with our entire community. The Robbinsville Public Schools must perform at even higher levels, working together with all of you, based on our collective evolving needs and the needs of the children served.
Standing up for students, challenging injustice and offering any help possible can be daunting, especially at times when faced with opposition. That is why empathy cannot just be a passive emotion in school leadership, but an active force that compels the entire district to take a stand on behalf of Robbinsville students.
In my new role as Robbinsville’s school superintendent, I’m eager to set specific goals for administrators, teachers and support staff to embrace a more engaged and courageous approach to connecting with and supporting our students.
We have the opportunity to build on the existing accomplishments of our district for an even brighter future together.
A strong public education system is vital to maximize the potential of all students, not just those with high grade point averages or exceptional talent in sports or other extracurriculars. We need to provide for all students equitably, through multiple supports to meet individual needs. The most important part of education is to recognize that each student will develop their own path; we must support them in this endeavor.
We also must continually recognize and appreciate that not every student learns in the same way; we need to take a comprehensive approach. The role of our educators is to identify the best ways that each student can excel in the Robbinsville Public Schools.
Our children learn though multiple educational opportunities, which can include music, art, theater, sports, clubs, specialized programs and any other area which opens possible pathways to comprehensive learning. We need to mitigate barriers to our children’s success, allowing them to visualize a path that meets their individualized goals.
As the chief school administrator, my role is to ensure the resources are in place to make that happen, with the input of our Board of Education, fellow administrators, staff and students.
Throughout my career, one of the focal points of my leadership has been community engagement, because all residents play a key role in supporting the school district and helping ensure ongoing success.
Since my arrival in Robbinsville in the beginning of January, I have been warmly welcomed by the school community, and many other leaders in town. I look forward to meeting as many Robbinsville residents as possible, as I want to fully understand the community’s culture, definition of student success and ability to play a greater role in the direction of this school system.
From what I have already learned, Robbinsville is deeply invested in the positive success of the schools. That was a prime attraction for me to apply for this important position and why I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to serve the students of this community.
I look forward to working with each and every one of you.
To that end, transparent communications across traditional and digital platforms will be a standard operating procedure, required for ongoing and new initiatives that enhance student performance. Feedback from our stakeholder groups, and individuals, is appreciated and actively sought.
All voices are welcome, and all opinions are to be respected.
Dr. Patrick Pizzo is the superintendent of Robbinsville Public Schools.
Robbinsville Superintendent Dr. Patrick Pizzo.,
