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Superintendent Adam Hartman summarizes lessons from Education First trip to Sweden, Finland and Estonia
Summary
Superintendent Adam Hartman told the Fremont Re‑1 Board of Education about a scholarship-supported Education First learning trip to Sweden, Finland and Estonia, highlighting takeaways on teacher preparation, trust in schools and curricular design that he says the district can adapt to its strategic plan.
Superintendent Adam Hartman told the Fremont Re‑1 Board of Education on an evening meeting that he attended an Education First (EF) international learning program in Scandinavia and Estonia and returned with observations he said could inform district practice.
Hartman said he was one of about 30 U.S. superintendents who took part in the EF program and described visiting Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn for roughly nine to 10 days. He said the trip was supported by an EF scholarship “to the tune of almost $8,000” and that he and other participants examined schools, museums and national education institutions.
Hartman said the most striking differences he observed were social attitudes toward teachers, consistency of curriculum, and a cultural trust that he described as supporting schools’ ability to operate without heavy litigation or parental pushback. “They are super well respected,” Hartman said of teachers in Finland, adding that Finnish teachers typically hold a master’s degree and that “teaching is taught as a science.”
Why it matters: Hartman framed the trip’s lessons as potentially actionable for the district’s three‑year strategic plan. He told the board that the Finnish model emphasizes multidisciplinary learning, student reflection and “multiliteracy,” and that structural and cultural choices over time build community trust — a theme he returned to repeatedly.
Hartman listed several specific takeaways he said are relevant to Fremont Re‑1: greater clarity about district priorities, trust-building between staff and community, a focus on high‑quality teacher preparation and curriculum alignment, and intentionally balancing instruction with regular outdoor breaks and practical skills instruction. He said Finland’s schools do not rank or publicly rank schools and that “they assume that every school is gonna be a good school.”
Hartman suggested aligning the trip’s lessons with the district’s four strategic priority areas—learning, people, engagement and resources—and said he would work with district leaders to translate those observations into leadership intentions and local actions.
Board response and local context: Board members praised Hartman’s outreach and said the presentation underscored the district’s emphasis on regional partnerships, internships and community investment. The board also noted local initiatives Hartman connected to the presentation, including work on facilities construction, internships with area employers and a community effort toward a new pool.
Superintendent introduction of new CFO: Hartman introduced Glenn Hayes as the district’s new chief financial officer. Glenn Hayes, who spoke briefly to the board, said he has lived locally since 1998 and called it “an honor” to serve as Fremont Re‑1 CFO: “I am the CFO for Canyon City School District. It really makes me proud,” Hayes said.
Other superintendent notes: Hartman also reported on summer registration and in‑person registration dates for several schools, new staff orientation, and a no‑strings donation of shirts and school supplies from a local business (DARE/Segendic). He described district staff helping with registration kiosks and thanked community businesses for in‑kind support.
Hartman closed by urging the board to consider which structural and cultural choices the district could adopt to strengthen trust and to align operational decisions to the district’s strategic plan.
