A Message from Superintendent Jeff Butts

How can we know where we are going if we do not know where we have been? That statement has caused deep thought for me as I reflect on the history of the M.S.D. of Wayne Township. The Wayne Township district began in 1852 as a township school. However, we did not become a Metropolitan School District for 110 years later in 1962, by court order. The 2012-13 school year marks our 50th year as the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township. While a great deal has changed in those 50 years, our focus on providing opportunities for student and staff success has not.

I had the pleasure to speak with four individuals about our past. I hope you will take a few minutes to view the video and learn more about what our district was like 50 years ago. You will see Dr. Harmon Baldwin, the first Superintendent of the M.S.D. of Wayne; Mrs. Phyllis Lewis, current Board of Education member and a leader in the effort to bring kindergarten into our schools; Mr. Paul Calabro, current Board of Education member and a retired M.S.D. of Wayne Township Principal leading Drexel Gardens Elementary, Chapelwood Elementary, and Chapel Glen Elementary Schools; and Mr. Stan Ellis, current Board of Education Member and retired teacher at Ben Davis High School and Ben Davis Junior High School. These four individuals have fond memories of Wayne Township in 1962 and our three Board of Education members continue to serve this community and district.

The Wayne Township community continues to demonstrate its dedication and support for our schools. And the engagement of our many community members throughout the year is paying huge dividends for our students. I am very pleased with the progress I have seen in so many areas, including the ISTEP+, IREAD 3, ECA's, Advanced Placement Examinations, enrollments in the International Baccalaureate program, over $11,000,000 in utilized scholarship dollars for our Class of 2012, and a 100% graduation rate for the second year in a row at Ben Davis University High School. This could not happen without the 250+ businesses, churches, and non-profit organizations that have assisted our schools or the 1,500 volunteers who dedicate 1 hour each week in the HOSTS program.

We have some changes in the 2012-13 school year ahead of us. I believe that these changes all present great possibilities for our district and an opportunity to continue to demonstrate why the M.S.D. of Wayne Township is a unique place to work and educate children. A few opportunities that come to mind for me are: the balanced calendar, redistricting implementation, the new teacher evaluation instrument, the new compensation model, contract negotiations under the new law, curriculum revisions to meet the Common Core, preparation for the new PARCC assessment, and making sure that we continue to serve every student that attends our schools in every way we are able.

"We Are Wayne" is bigger than any one of us alone, especially me. I have appreciated your support in the past and hope you will consider being engaged in our schools again this year. I know that great things can happen when we continue to work together and look forward to a very rewarding 2012 - 2013 school year.

We Are Wayne!!!

Contact Dr. Butts