Working Towards Student Success for All

“Every Child Matters” is not just something we say, it is what we believe, and with that comes a responsibility to the community that staff work every day to achieve. As I complete my first year as Superintendent of Langley Schools, I want to first thank the community for your support. Our mission to inspire all learners to reach their full potential and create a positive legacy for the future is alive and well as an overarching theme of a very successful four years with our current Strategic Plan. We are working extremely hard to provide avenues of success for all learners and finding and focussing on the strengths of children. We owe so much to the professionals in our system who work with students every day. Their dedication to get to know all students they work with, is making a difference.

I can tell you that I have made mistakes when it comes to having patience and time to accomplish system change. I have learned that we must travel together as fast as we can and as slow as we must. For me, that has meant that through collaboration and collective engagement we will make the necessary changes to make our system even more caring, supportive, responsive, and innovative. I am eternally grateful to our staff for trying to always put the needs of their students at the centre of their collective worlds.

I know from the stories shared by our educators, and through data, that following the direction outlined in our current Strategic Plan, we are making a difference. Our overall success through our six-year completion rates have jumped by 5 per cent to 95.1 per cent.  Exciting news for the District but most of all exciting news for our students. Our staff has focussed on the necessary outcomes, created safe spaces for students to learn, and provided additional supports. Going the extra mile has paid off for most of our students, but we know that our work is far from finished.

We will, through the road map of the new Strategic Plan, move forward with our partners in the District and in the community as fast as we can and as slow as we must, to improve the learning conditions for all of our students. Our focus will continue to be on student success for all. We will continue the journey towards Truth and Reconciliation through the recommendations in the Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement; we will be looking to implement actions that will support success. In addition, we will continue to work towards the creation of inclusive environments where the gifts of all students are realized and celebrated. It was an amazing year for our system, and I encourage all of you to join me in celebration. Hoping for another successful year in 2023.

Mal Gill
Superintendent of Schools