Genuine Kindness Matters

In our local Grand Coulee Dam School District, we have and always have had amazing staff. As a community member for several decades, I’ve shown appreciation for many of their successes but I’ve barely scratched the surface of impactful differences they make in the lives of their students every day. Great school districts have staff who realize that schools must manage their funds properly, provide a safe and secure environment with sound mental wellness options for their students, among many other common-sense priorities that come before academic tests scores. Kindness matters and our local schools staff go above and beyond to try and help students even during non-school hours. I could list numerous examples of this, but I’ll focus on the recent tragedy involving the loss of a mother and son. This boy loved drawing and my wife’s art class was his favorite. She would let him stop by outside of art class and play his guitar as others made art in their classes. She loved him and is still struggling with his loss. Since this tragedy there have been many staff working diligently behind the scenes to provide wrap-around support for the family involved. Staff superstars Serena Carlson, Natalie Kontos and others are rallying individuals and key entities to provide help as best they can. These people are putting others first and doing the right things.

However, at the same time, there are those involved with the GCDSD that are not putting others first and showing kindness matters by their actions. They are masking the good that is being done. The overall image of the organization is negative as a result. Things that may seem simple like the Superintendent parking on the sidewalk almost daily, booing at multiple athletic events and displaying negative sportsmanship become major leading even more community members to not be supportive. When the team concept is promoted he needs to remember that there is no “I” in team. He is not the focus of the organization. Admin and staff are burned out and struggling with moral yet they continue to fight on. Many parents withdrew their kids from the GCDSD due to the 4-day week school format change and other families are struggling due to this forced decision. The necessary professional development for staff that the previous audit noted was poor is worse off now with this new schedule. Over 300 students have left the GCDSD in the last 6 years and the organization is in a fiscal crisis. These and other extreme challenges the organization is dealing with now would have been unnecessary if proper leadership, expertise and collaboration was in place. The school board and superintendent have caused their own problems due to their isolated reactive management style and no accountability. Genuine kindness is severely lacking. The organization is at an all-time low. Time for major changes so we can get the GCDSD back to an organization we all respect and are proud if.

I will continue to fight for what is best for our families, students and staff!

John. M. Adkins