As we approach the end of the 2022-23 school year, I find myself reflecting on the years I have spent in Highland Park ISD and the incredible journey we have taken together as a community. In three days our centennial Class of 2023 graduates will receive their diplomas and as I prepare to stand on stage with them to celebrate their accomplishments, I am reminded of their hard work and dedication. The centennial Class of 2023 was entering fifth grade in 2015 when I started my chapter as HPISD’s superintendent. They had just finished their elementary school years.
And like the 99 classes before them and the next 100 after, this centennial class embodies what it means to be a Scot, what it means to enter to learn and go forth to serve. Throughout the past thirteen years, these remarkable students in the Class of 2023 have grown, learned and created memories together. They have embraced the rich traditions of HP schools that cannot be understated. They have cultivated lifelong friendships. They have demonstrated excellence in academics, arts, athletics and service. They have grown into resilient individuals. They have walked hand in hand, building a legacy for future Scots, and armed with the knowledge, skills and high standards of character they have acquired, they are prepared to make a significant impact in the world. They are forever Scots.
My time in Highland Park ISD, as a Scot, has been some of the most rewarding in my nearly 50 years in education due to the proud traditions of excellence that can be seen across our community. We have worked alongside one another for eight years, focused on providing students the opportunity to thrive and grow into the best version of themselves. Through the passage and implementation of the district’s largest bond program that transformed our aging facilities, to the support and passage of the voter approved tax ratification election that has enabled the district to significantly increase teacher and staff salaries, together we have impacted student learning in HPISD for decades to come.
Like the Class of 2023, a new chapter for my family and me will begin. I will carry with me the memories of my time at HPISD. They will forever keep us connected because as a Scot I have learned that the rich traditions of HP provide a sense of continuity, connection, and a shared identity as a Scot that transcends far beyond individual years or future zip codes and fosters a strong community that is unique and beautiful.
|
Dr. Tom Trigg, Superintendent