Looking Ahead to 10 More Years of Impact
Happy New Year! As we kick off 2022, I cannot believe it has already been 10 years since we started Leadership ISD and began working to ensure every child, regardless of race, income, or zip code has the opportunity to thrive in their education.
Together, we have centered our students and unapologetically named that equity in race, gender, identity, ability, income, and language is foundational to changing student outcomes. Equity in our public schools is not just an add-on; some theory or policy or department. It is essential to student success and should be considered non-negotiable because all of our children deserve to be heard, seen, and valued. Despite the recent politicized rhetoric, we know an anti-racist education system is necessary to lift all students up.
Equity is about the experience we create that allows our students to find their path forward. It is celebrating our emerging bilinguals for their native language while teaching them a second one. It is embracing and loving our queer and trans children instead of sweeping them into a closet with a hashtag for an identity. It is creating a safe place for black and brown children to explore real history, embrace their culture, and see themselves in the future of this country. And, it is helping our white children understand what it means to be conscious and empathetic, showing them how to understand and seek multiple perspectives.
I am encouraged because we are making real progress. We have courageous school leaders throughout Texas who have placed racial equity front and center, oftentimes at their own personal cost. Trustees, Superintendents, and Educators who promote programs that place great teachers in front of the students who have been the most marginalized, school choices and pathways that provide the best fit for every child and family, and college and career opportunities starting in high school without cost. These programs promote equity. It is not just theory but real actions that create positive change.
In the midst of all the noise, all the conflict, all the politics, all the rage, pause for a moment. Close your eyes and think of a child; your own, your neighbor's, your sister's, those in your classroom or in your church...picture their face. Now move through time and imagine their future - a future where they are happy, successful, loved, and included in our communities and economies - can you see them thriving? Do you see their worth and their value? That is what our work is all about. Never stop seeing their beautiful face and never forget the consequences for our children when we stop centering them in every decision we make as leaders, educators, parents, and community members.
For 10 years, I have seen those faces in both my dreams and my waking moments, and I know you have, too. Serving alongside each of you all these years has been both humbling and meaningful, and I am incredibly honored to be a part of this great movement. As Leadership ISD enters its next decade, I will be passing the torch to a new leader of our organization with the great hope and expectation that they will catapult us toward an even greater impact than we have achieved already. We do not yet have a set timeline for my transition, rather I will be working with our board and staff to conduct a search for the next CEO and will remain an active part of our team until we find the right person.
Although I will be stepping aside from my current role, I could not be more passionate or excited about the work that is still ahead - both for myself and for Leadership ISD! I am eager to continue supporting and advocating for our children right alongside you, albeit in a different capacity. I believe 2022 will bring amazing new opportunities, and I am thankful to have you with us on our collective journey forward. We have so much left to do and our children are counting on us!
- Patricia Arvanitis, Co-Founder and CEO