Superintendent John Thompson delivers final end-of-year update, thanks staff and parents

John Thompson, the district superintendent, delivered his final update of the school year, praising gains in student learning, thanking parent advisory groups and school staff, and announcing that the first day of school will be Wednesday, August 5.

"This is John Thompson, your superintendent in what will be my final update of this school year," Thompson said as he opened the message, calling the end of the year “an exciting and interesting time.” He highlighted improvements in elementary reading comprehension and said the district saw gains "in student performance in math and language arts across the district."

Thompson singled out programs he said "thrived" this year, naming the district's dual-language immersion programs and its robotics program as examples. He also credited strengthened partnerships with parents and listed three advisory groups by name: the district African American advisory (D3A), the Latino parent advisory group and the Punjabi parent advisory group, saying they "collaborated in a very meaningful way this year."

The superintendent praised the district workforce, thanking custodians, classified staff and teachers for daily efforts that often go unrecognized. He named a custodian, Vikash at Easton, as an example of an employee who routinely goes "above and beyond," and commended teachers at Searls for staging a Lion King production that he called a "fantastic event for our students and our families."

He also noted administrators' behind-the-scenes work, saying they often resolve dozens of issues early in the day so teachers and staff can focus on students. Thompson reflected on his time in the role, saying he has served as superintendent for eight years and called it a privilege to work across the district.

In closing, Thompson encouraged families and staff to use summer to rest and recharge, and said he was already looking forward to the next school year. "Our first day of school is Wednesday, August 5," he stated; the transcript did not specify a year. He ended the update by thanking listeners and saying, "we'll see you in the fall."