To Our Highlands Community:

I am honored to serve our community as superintendent of the LaGrange Highlands School District and to partner with our students, educators, families, and community to ensure we meet the district’s mission - “ to ensure that every student meets his or her potential.”

I am deeply committed to this mission and excited to learn more about how the mission is being implemented throughout the district. To accomplish this learning, I have developed an entry plan as we approach this important work together.

As your new superintendent, I am dedicated to learning as much about our students’ experiences at Highlands Elementary and Middle School as quickly as possible.

LaGrange Highlands School District has achieved success on many levels, and I want to build upon the strong legacy that the school district and community have established for our students.

It is my belief that District 106’s vision:

“to create an environment where students will learn to think critically, effectively communicate, respectively collaborate, and problem-solve in order to prepare them for a successful future”

will be present in all that we do educationally and operationally.

My work as superintendent will be guided by a tenet put forth by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He says leaders must “first seek to understand, then to be understood.” My transition plan is designed to enable me to quickly and effectively listen to and learn from a wide range of people involved in the Highlands community.

I intend to learn as much as possible about what is working for our students and where there are areas of opportunity. It is my desire to listen and to understand how we can support, enrich and grow our teachers, staff, administrators, and parents for the critical roles they play in each student’s life.

This is an amazing time where I have been given an opportunity to listen, learn, and partner with you. Together, we will increase educational opportunities for all of our Highlands students to be successful.

With Highlands Pride,

Dr. Warke