Tuesday, September 3, 2013

ALL IN

ALL IN FOR THE VILLE!

It is with the greatest pleasure that I serve as the superintendent of Somerville Public Schools.
Somerville is close-knit community that celebrates diversity and the individuality of every student. 

This school year, our theme is ALL IN!  To this end, Gian Paul Gonzalez inspired our staff on opening day to make a commitment to being ALL IN.





As superintendent, I am ALL IN for our students and ALL IN for the Ville!  I am urging parents and staff members to make a commitment to our students' education and be ALL IN.  

Please share your comments about how you will commit to being ALL IN for our students this year.

Staff members signed chips as a commitment to being ALL IN.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

After twenty years of opening meetings, today was my favorite. I was very impressed with the entire morning. Well done and we are fortunate to have you leading us.

I am excited about being all in for all of my students this year.

Anonymous said...

I plan to be all in for not only my students, but my colleagues as well. This is a great place to live and work.

Anonymous said...

I liked how you had Kevin speak at the opening session. It reminded everyone as to why were are here.

Anonymous said...

I am committed to being all in for my students and use every day as an opportunity to make a difference in their lives.

J DePace said...

I'm so ALL IN - I'm putting my name on it! Awesome morning - Have a great year everyone!!!

Anonymous said...

I appreciate the positive welcome back letter, Tevin, and Gian Paul. Very uplifting kickoff to the new year. I am All IN for making a difference in our students' lives.

Anonymous said...

You were a fantastic MC yesterday and Gian Paul was inspiring. I have been in other districts, but have never experienced and opening day session like yesterday. I cannot wait for my students to arrive! I am "all in" for being a teacher that refuses to quit on students.

Anonymous said...

I am ecstatic for the school year to start. Gian Paul really challenged me to be all in for our students. I loved the coffee pot symbolism and think that the dashboard is an excellent idea.

Anonymous said...

I am "all in" for giving my students opportunities to both succeed and fail in the classroom. I feel fortunate to be in Somerville.

Anonymous said...

"All In" not only for the Ville but for my colleagues and family. Gian was an inspriration in many ways yesterday. It was an outstanding reminder of why we are here.

Anonymous said...

Awesome opening session! Let's go : ) I am all in for the Ville!

Rob Reavey said...

Thank you for a fantastic kick-off to what I hope will be one of the best academic seasons we have seen in the 'VILLE.....I'm ALL IN to making it happen!!!

Unknown said...

Awesome opening day, and a great message!
I am ALL IN for the students, ALL IN for the staff, and ALL IN for helping to make this the most successful year the 'Ville has ever seen!

Unknown said...

During these challenging times in education, it is great to know each of us is not standing alone. We are ALL IN this together. We are ALL IN sharing the same goal of helping our students enjoy learning and becoming successful. I am ALL IN to work with the Somerville team for the students. If we are ALL IN, we will be unstoppable!

Unknown said...

The enthusiasm across the Ville these past few days has been AWESOME! It is clear that everyone is ALL IN! I am extremely excited to embark on this school year!

Jerry Foley said...

A phenomenal opening day program! What a great way to kick off the school year. The energy, excitement, and commitment to being ALL IN set the tone for the year and beyond. Working together we will face the challenges that stand before us and accomplish so much. ALL IN at THE VILLE!

Ron Bommarito said...

The kick-off meeting this year was fantastic. The energy in the room was electric.

My team and I are ALL IN for the Ville.

There are great things on the horizon for the Ville and I am excited to be a part of them.

Tanya McDonald said...

I am ALL IN for supporting each and every student who walks through our doors to achieve and maintain success at SHS! I am so excited for all we will accomplish as a team this year!!

Chris Mulligan said...

Very impressed with the Opening Day Program. Have heard positive feedback from many of the staff. As Gian Paul noted, "All In" is a mindset, not a slogan. I look forward to using this mentality as the foundation for all we will accomplish this year.

Anonymous said...

Outstanding opening day program- inspirational, relevant, informative....All of the components that will translate into a great school year. SMS has "anted up" and we're All In!

Susan Haynes said...

Well...the students are ALL IN their classrooms with their back to school smiles and jitters. Van Derveer School is a buzz with energy and enthusiasm for a wonderful school year. But it is not just the students.... every person at Van Derveer is ALL IN for this school year! I am personally ALL IN for the Van Derveer and Somerville communities. The Welcome Back speeches on Tuesday set such an amazing and inspiring tone.

Susanne Alessio said...

I thought the opening day program was really great. Gian Paul's presentation was phenomenal, very inspiring. Everyone at VDV has been talking about being "All in" for this school year. This is a great mindset to not only have while at work but I plan to use it also in my personal life.

Jessica Warner said...

I am ALL in for every student, every parent, and every staff member in Somerville. What a wonderful welcome back Dr. Purnell!

Patti Helwig said...

I am ALL IN for every student and their families. I am ALL IN for the community and my fellow colleagues.
Absolutely wonderful opening day speeches from Administration, Tevin and Gian Paul! Loved it!

Lindsay F. said...

This "all in" theme is so simple but yet so powerful. It reminds us each day to dedicate ourselves to all aspects of our lives, especially within the field of teaching. This morning as I went to pick up my students, I was thinking about the "all in" theme of our district. I want them to understand its meaning and how we as an entire district are going to give our all. I am ALL IN and I am excited to apply this theme throughout the year. We are...The Ville and We are...All In!!!

Ellyn Stein said...

What an inspiring way to start the new school year! I am ALL IN for helping my students make a positive change today...and every day thereafter. I am ALL IN for helping my students see their own strength and potential.

Unknown said...

I can't believe today marked the start of my 10th year of being ALL IN for the children of Somerville. To borrow Tevin's metaphor, this year I plan to be ALL IN for turing little sticks of dynamite into beautiful fireworks.

Unknown said...

I can't believe today marked the start of my 10th year of being ALL IN for the children of Somerville. To borrow Tevin's metaphor, this year I plan to be ALL IN for turing little sticks of dynamite into beautiful fireworks.

Lani Perruso said...

It goes without saying that the Somerville family is committed to being "All In" this year. The staff's dedication, consistent hard work and support of each other makes this district stand out. Dr. Purnell's extensive "Welcome Back" letter and speech, along with Gian Paul's inspirational presentation served as a reminder that everyone in the Somerville School District is always 100% "All In." I am honored and excited to be a part of such a great place!

Unknown said...

Excited to be "All In" for week two.

Megan Lazarte said...

Thank you for a great beginning of the year message. Both Tevin and Gian Paul were motivating and delivered excellent messages. I am ALL IN for my students and my fellow teachers. Looking forward to a great year!

Anonymous said...

As a parent, I am ALL IN to support our teachers and schools. I am so proud to live in Somerville and fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful school district.

Jeff Evans said...

I thought you might find the comments from Woody Johnson, the owner of the Jets, interesting--particularly his comment about the upcoming season. Even my beloved Jets are on board with Somerville's beliefs!

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/myers-woody-supports-rex-trip-clemson-article-1.1445369#ixzz2e25HMbpp

Superintendent's Corner said...

Thank you for your comments and for being ALL IN for our students! We are fortunate to have such a supportive and caring school community in the Ville!