July 15, 2021
State of The District Highlights Sustainable Changes and Long-Term Impact
Over the last 529 days, working with 77,000 students and 10,000 staff members, serving 2 million free meals, and delivering 70,000 laptops and hotspots to families, CIty Schools held a steadfast belief in the talent and limitless potential of all Baltimore City Public Schools students.
That was the backstory for Dr. Sonja Santelises’ State of the District address last month - streamed live and delivered to a socially-distanced audience at the newly renovated campus of Walter P. Carter Elementary/Middle School and Lois T. Murray Elementary/Middle School.
The event reiterated City Schools’ commitment, energy and motivation to meet the current moment, and to invest in programs, technology and facilities to support the continued recovery of students and communities after an unprecedented, challenging school year.
As Dr. Sonja Santelises said in her remarks, “This pandemic has not only exacerbated the faultlines and challenges our students and communities experienced prior to it coming, but it has allowed us to see where our pockets of strength are. To see where we can build. As I stand here today, this work is not about surface-level, cosmetic quick fixes that will then prove unsustainable. This is about long term improvement. It’s about more than one year. It’s about the long term life trajectories our young people are experiencing.”
Dr. Santelises’ presentation highlighted the innovative efforts to support students and communities, including (but certainly not limited to) enhancinging spaces for engaged learning, personalized and differentiated learning in literacy and math, expanded mentoring, positive school culture and climate, student wellness, and investments in career and college readiness, early learning and English learners.