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Dear Maplewood Richmond Heights Community,
I am overjoyed and privileged to have the opportunity to serve as your superintendent of schools beginning in July. In order for us to begin our work together it is important to begin to know one another as people and not just by our titles or roles.
A little about me: I am a first-generation college graduate with three children (two sons and a daughter). All of my successes in life, and my strong belief in the moral obligation to serve others, can be attributed to the relationships I have had with my teachers. They believed in me and helped me to believe in myself. In addition, I have had other significant adults in my personal and professional life who served as mentors and cheerleaders. In all of my roles -- parent, family member, congregation member, assistant superintendent, etc. -- I have always focused on developing strong relationships and being of service to others. As we begin to acquaint ourselves through a variety of meetings which will take place before the school year starts, I look forward to becoming personally connected and exchanging ideas about how we can continue to improve the District to better serve our school community.
During my time as an educator, I have found that public education can provide opportunities to meet students on an individual basis where they are and propel them toward their passions. I believe that as an educator it is my moral imperative to help our children prepare and develop post-secondary plans to ready them for whatever path they choose into adulthood. It is my belief that collaboratively, we can reimagine the future of Maplewood Richmond Heights schools using our current cornerstones to underpin our work. All of my experiences have helped me realize the power of collaboration and the value of listening as a means to better understand the perspective of all stakeholders in any decisions we make.
Finally, as I prepare to serve as your next superintendent, please know that I believe it is critical to connect with and serve our school community. I look forward to meeting with each of you at upcoming meetings where we can begin our journey. I feel honored to join the Maplewood Richmond Heights Board of Education, those selfless leaders who care so deeply about our students, staff and community... as do I.
Until we meet, please stay safe and well.
In partnership,
Dr. Bonita E. Jamison
Superintendent of Schools
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." - Helen Keller
For more information, contact MRH School District at (314) 644-4400.