2024-2025 Superintendent's Back-to-School Message
August 22, 2024
Dear Wilkes County Schools students, parents, and community members,
As our teachers return and the fall sports season is underway, one does not have to look far to realize that the 2024-2025 school year has begun. While I hope you all had an enjoyable summer, the start of a new school year is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable times of the year for students, parents, and the community. My hope is that you are looking forward to the start of school and the chance to work together to make 2024-2025 a great year for all associated with our school system.
As we begin this new school year, we have so much to celebrate from last year. I am so proud to share that we ended the 2023-2024 school year with our highest graduation rate in over a decade, which means that a higher percentage of students are prepared for success beyond high school than at any time since 2013. While many perceive this to be a measure of success for high schools, it actually reflects the efforts of every teacher and staff member who worked with the Class of 2024 from the day they entered school. We had our first NC Principal of the Year in over 40 years and a softball state championship. We ended the 2023-2024 school year with tremendous momentum and I expect this to carry over and continue into 2024-2025! I cannot wait to see the amazing things our students and staff achieve in the very near future.
This momentum from last year carried over into our summer with major facility upgrades at many of our schools. Most are aware of our athletic facility upgrades at our high schools, and we also made major HVAC renovations at many of our schools as well. The efforts of our maintenance staff in making these improvements should impact student success for many years to come. Improvements made to our schools during the summer should be a source of pride for our entire community.
The safety of our students and staff will once again be our top priority for the upcoming school year. I applaud the efforts of our staff and community in this area and I challenge you to maintain the laser-like focus that you have had in terms of safety over the past few years. There is no room for complacency in terms of student and staff safety. Do not ever underestimate the impact of parent and community efforts in maintaining the safety of our students and staff. Your diligence and attention to detail when visiting our campuses is vital to ensuring the safety of all.
Along with our efforts to keep others safe, I truly believe Wilkes County Schools is a leader in our state in terms of maintaining a student-oriented and student-centered culture as well. While many schools across our country make decisions based on what is best for adults, I believe our system focuses on students first. I am so proud of our staff for this and hope that our students and parents agree that the needs of students come first.
Whether you are starting your first year with our system or have been with us for years, I hope that you realize that Wilkes County Schools is a wonderful place for students and a great place to work as well. Our people are what makes this system special and whether they drive a bus, clean our facilities, prepare food for our students, or teach our students, I hope you will join me in letting them know they are appreciated. If we are going to maintain high expectations for our students, we should do the same for our staff members and for ourselves. As a teacher and principal, I saw that when students knew I cared about them and maintained high expectations for them, they would strive to do their best. As a superintendent, I want our students and staff to do the same. I hope that you have high expectations for me as your superintendent as well and I will strive daily to ensure that those expectations are met.
In closing, I hope that we can maintain the excitement of a new school year throughout the year and that our students, staff, and parents can do the same. I hope that you agree that Wilkes County Schools is a great place for students and a place where they feel safe and can grow academically. As I shared earlier, I look forward to the great things that our students and staff will accomplish in 2024-2025!
Thank you for your continued support of Wilkes County Schools.
D. Mark Byrd
Superintendent
Wilkes County Schools