Hello Leland CUSD#1,
Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year. I want to start by thanking everyone for the support and hard work put into the 21-22 school year. It was so great to be able to end the year with many of our typical, fun social events. I look forward to being able to build on all of our past experiences in creating new opportunities for our students and community. I am excited about this upcoming school year, and I hope you are too! The first day of school is on August 17th and it is a full day of student attendance.
One of the initiatives that I am most excited about is the district's adoption of Leader In Me. Leader in Me is an evidence-based, comprehensive model that builds leadership and life skills in students, creates a high-trust school culture, and lays the foundation for sustained academic achievement. Throughout the year, I will send additional information as the district progresses on our Leader in Me journey. I am excited to see how our school, and individual students, will grow to their fullest potential. For more information about this initiative visit www.leaderinme.org. Soon, we plan to have an active link on our website that will provide additional information and resources. Our goal is to have our students join us in the creation of this feature.
With this new initiative comes some small changes that we hope will bring some big results. This year we will be having a common LEAD time from 2:30pm - 3:00pm on every “C” day. Our “C” days have been added to our Junior High and High School Calendar. This link will take you to the “ABC” calendar for this school year: ABC Calendar. During LEAD time, students will be given the opportunity to collaborate with students in different grade levels by participating in clubs, assemblies, and goal-tracking meetings. I am happy to discuss any questions you may have about our Leader In Me initiative, or our “C” day calendar.
With the start of the school year right around the corner, make sure to take time and look at the calendar of events that are listed on our website. Our Unpack your Backpack Night and Ice Cream Social is taking place Monday, August 15 from 4:00PM - 6:00PM. All are welcome to join us to celebrate the start of the school year! I encourage everyone to take pride in our school, have fun, create some memories, and be safe. As I enter into my 9th year as principal of this fantastic district, I am thrilled to work with everyone that is a part of Leland Schools. If at any point you have any questions or concerns about anything taking place here at school, please feel free to contact me by phone, email or by scheduling a visit. I can be reached by email at cbickel@leland1.org or by phone at 815-495-3231 ext. 100. I hope everyone has a great school year and as always, remember…
Excellence Has No Finish Line!
Chris Bickel
K-12 Principal