Superintendent's Office

Message from Dr. Kasey Perkins...

It is an honor and privilege to serve as the superintendent of Southwest Licking Local Schools. When I took this position three years ago, I could not have imagined what would happen in the world, let alone our school community in just a few short months. As I reflect back to the beginning of the pandemic, and the tremendous strides we have made since then, it is difficult to remember when we were delivering meals on school busses and educating kids remotely. Our staff did an excellent job as we continued to move forward and against the odds, brought our students back in person full-time the following year. As time passes, many will forget the masks, the assigned lunch seats, the recess pods, the cleaning protocols, and the one-way hallways. However, I hope that as a school community we always remember coming together for our students to support them during this time of uncertainty.

It is important not to forget all of the ways in which this district has grown over the last few years despite outside variables in our world. We now have an agriculture program that is allowing our students to experience responsibility with cultivating crops, growing their own food, raising chickens, and coming in the 2023-2024 school year our very own food forest. Let us not forget the green house that will open when the renovated middle school is complete this fall. The new green house is a direct reflection on our community commitment to our students as we won the State Farm Grant by our families voting. Our agricultural program is just one of so many ways our students have hands on opportunities to grow in our schools.

Our renovations continue around the district with the renovated middle school opening this fall and renovations starting this winter at Kirkersville. Our new tennis courts, baseball, and softball fields are set to open during the 22-23 school year, with the new elementary opening during the 24-25 school year. As these amazing buildings continue undergoing renovations, I would continue encouraging everyone to stay in the know with our growth studies and next steps for the SWL educational community.

We are fortunate to attract many talented teachers and support staff, and have already hired 50 new staff for the 2022-2023 school year. This will allow us to continue providing a rich academic experience with numerous co-curricular student opportunities. We will welcome all staff back at our August Convocation as we kick off the school year for our students.

During the 21-22 school year, a committee comprised of teachers, district leaders, parents and business constituents collaborated on a strategic plan for the district. This plan will guide the district as we focus on our four vision areas: student learning, culture and inclusivity, student experience and finances and facilities.

• Student Learning- Challenging every student to expand their mindset and consider new opportunities and ideas while maximizing their individual potential.
• Culture and Inclusivity- Cultivating an inclusive community where all students find acceptance and feel valued.
• Student Experience- Creating engaging opportunities that allow students to find their purpose, pursue their passions and make connections.
• Finances and Facilities- Bringing the community together by providing innovating learning spaces with a focus on fiscal responsibility and transparency.

These four vision areas will help drive the mission of our district and individual school buildings. We are looking forward to another outstanding school year and cannot wait to see all of the contributions from our SWL students during the 23-24 school year.

 

Respectfully,

Kasey Perkins, Ed.D.

Superintendent