Hello Panther Family!

This Wednesday marks the start of school and I want to take the opportunity to connect with you and share how we as a district have prepared to welcome your children into another year of learning. We value every minute your children are in our care and look forward to developing relationships that strengthen our ability to serve the needs of our families.

Our Navarro I.S.D. staff has been busy this summer preparing our facilities, finalizing hiring, and putting the finishing touches on getting our schools ready for everyone’s return. The first weeks of school can be challenging as we settle into the rhythm of drop off, pick up, and new bus routes.  With the road work TxDOT is doing on SH123, we know that this year will be even more challenging.  Please know that we debrief daily in these first days to adjust to improve to provide a smoother experience for everyone. I appreciate your patience as we continuously improve to shorten drop off and pick up lines, and balance transportation routes to get all our riders to school and home on time and safely.

As we move into this next school year, we are committed to meet the needs of our students and create a place where they can thrive and grow. I want you to know we are also committed to partnering with you to provide the very best for your child. One of my goals this year is to make sure you have the communication you need to be informed about what is happening in the district.  This summer we began the process of updating our website and will continue to use it and our Facebook page to make announcements of important information and student celebrations. As you have questions when you read the communication, I encourage you to directly share your concerns with me or campus principals via email or phone call.  This will allow us to address your needs as quickly as possible.

I also look forward to listening to our staff, parents, students, and the community.  I will be scheduling meetings and opportunities to hear from you at our campuses and through our collaborative visioning committee, where we will develop a strategic plan for maximizing teaching and learning and growth management.  I will also meet with students and staff in advisories to gain feedback and support our development as an organization. Your input is very important to me and I invite you to participate in our committees, when possible, and directly email or call me or your campus principals so we can address your concerns. Together we can continually improve our practices and systems to better serve our students, families, and community. You will receive invitations throughout the coming semester to consider joining a committee or advisory and I look forward to meeting with you.

Our district theme this year is "Memories Made Here". When I came to the district in late April, I met with several community members, parents, teachers, students, and staff, and one common message I received was how Navarro is a place where wonderful memories of people, lessons, experiences, and opportunities live. Our students’ success depends on our entire community building connections that make memories and create opportunities. The power of Navarro is our people. As we grow, we cherish the memories of the past and will work together to build a place of possibility for all our students. Navarro I.S.D. is a special place where together we serve and together we make an impact.

I am truly honored to be superintendent of this district and I look forward to the amazing things ahead for our students, staff, community, and the families of Navarro I.S.D.

Sincerely, 

Mandy D. Epley, Superintendent
Navarro I.S.D.