ARCHIVED MESSAGES
Wednesday, 3/24/2021
Wednesday, 3/24/2021
Important Items from the Superintendent’s Desk
Dear Payson Community Residents,
As we move forward in an era of unprecedented times, Payson Unified School District (PUSD) remains dedicated to maintaining the opportunities that bring vitality and depth to the PUSD experience. PUSD has long been recognized for outstanding achievements using a variety of indicators. These areas are widespread and speak for themselves about the breadth of resources and opportunities for students. This is evident in these areas, such as being nationally recognized by the Flip Flippen Group for our diligent efforts in creating a positive school culture to meet social and emotional needs through Capturing Kids’ Hearts https://bit.ly/3gIRIZk and being globally recognized as a Google Reference District https://bit.ly/2Z9d9wC through innovative technology.
The dilemma we currently face within our options to reopen and the ability to meet our community’s needs and desires is not ideal nor was it predictable. We continue to seek avenues to be back with our young ‘Heroes’ in person and on a daily basis. Our desire, which is the driving force of our goals, is to provide the support necessary for each student to see and reach his/her ‘Hero’ potential within him/herself. To do so, we may find ourselves taking ‘two steps forward and one step back’ and will refuse to view this as set back. Instead, we will reframe it as a ‘Cha-Cha’, as stated by our Special Education Director, Lisa Evans. We will ‘Cha-Cha’ throughout the year, if this is what it takes, with the belief that it takes one step at a time, it will get better, and a sense of normalcy will return.
We are very grateful to the community for its steadfast support of public education. As with student success, this support can be measured in part through quantitative indicators such as tax dollars and test scores, however, and most importantly, is your belief in and commitment to providing diverse opportunities for children to learn, lead, succeed and become ‘Heroes’.
Thank you for your patience, trust, support, and confidence in us when we say we are truly working with our students’, Payson’s future leaders’, best interest at heart.
With Warm Regards,
Linda Gibson, Superintendent
Wednesday, 3/24/2021
Important Items from the Superintendent’s Desk
Dear Payson Community Residents,
As we move forward in an era of unprecedented times, Payson Unified School District (PUSD) remains dedicated to maintaining the opportunities that bring vitality and depth to the PUSD experience. PUSD has long been recognized for outstanding achievements using a variety of indicators. These areas are widespread and speak for themselves about the breadth of resources and opportunities for students. This is evident in these areas, such as being nationally recognized by the Flip Flippen Group for our diligent efforts in creating a positive school culture to meet social and emotional needs through Capturing Kids’ Hearts https://bit.ly/3gIRIZk and being globally recognized as a Google Reference District https://bit.ly/2Z9d9wC through innovative technology.
The dilemma we currently face within our options to reopen and the ability to meet our community’s needs and desires is not ideal nor was it predictable. We continue to seek avenues to be back with our young ‘Heroes’ in person and on a daily basis. Our desire, which is the driving force of our goals, is to provide the support necessary for each student to see and reach his/her ‘Hero’ potential within him/herself. To do so, we may find ourselves taking ‘two steps forward and one step back’ and will refuse to view this as set back. Instead, we will reframe it as a ‘Cha-Cha’, as stated by our Special Education Director, Lisa Evans. We will ‘Cha-Cha’ throughout the year, if this is what it takes, with the belief that it takes one step at a time, it will get better, and a sense of normalcy will return.
We are very grateful to the community for its steadfast support of public education. As with student success, this support can be measured in part through quantitative indicators such as tax dollars and test scores, however, and most importantly, is your belief in and commitment to providing diverse opportunities for children to learn, lead, succeed and become ‘Heroes’.
Thank you for your patience, trust, support, and confidence in us when we say we are truly working with our students’, Payson’s future leaders’, best interest at heart.
With Warm Regards,
Linda Gibson, Superintendent
Linda Gibson
Superintendent
Monday, 6/14/2021
July 1, 2021
Dear PUSD Families, Faculty, Staff, and Community,
Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year. It is a pleasure serving as the Superintendent of Payson Unified School District, the heart of the Payson community. It goes much deeper than being just a rural school district. Our PUSD community is a place where individuals fold up their sleeves and help their neighbor without question, volunteer with local community programs and work together to promote EXCELlence. We are an integral part of Payson that does big things. Combining teaching, coaching, sponsorship, volunteering, outside of education work experience, counseling services, degrees, and military service PUSD has well over 5,000 years amongst its faculty and staff.
In a season where education seems to be facing an uphill climb, PUSD continues to work hard to maintain a connected culture, foster learning, and keep its students, faculty, and staff engaged and excited to come to school with a strong work ethic. As a National Capturing Kids Hearts Showcase District, we equip faculty and staff to implement transformational processes focused on social-emotional well-being, relationship-driven campus culture, and student connectedness.
As we continue to face new challenges daily, it is imperative to remain connected, motivated and inspired to learn for forwarding progress. The importance of making sure each heart is okay before expecting performance is the essence of Capturing Kids Hearts and the culture within PUSD. We know that the more a child feels connected and appreciated, the more they internally and emotionally can succeed and want to be a part of the whole.
I hope that all students, families, faculty, and staff thrive and flourish this school year
through interactions with each other, academics, instruction, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, and time with family.
May each of you continue to shine through:
PAYSON
Pride
Respect
Integrity
Determination
Enthusiasm
With Warm Regards,
July 1, 2021
Dear PUSD Families, Faculty, Staff, and Community,
Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year. It is a pleasure serving as the Superintendent of Payson Unified School District, the heart of the Payson community. It goes much deeper than being just a rural school district. Our PUSD community is a place where individuals fold up their sleeves and help their neighbor without question, volunteer with local community programs and work together to promote EXCELlence. We are an integral part of Payson that does big things. Combining teaching, coaching, sponsorship, volunteering, outside of education work experience, counseling services, degrees, and military service PUSD has well over 5,000 years amongst its faculty and staff.
In a season where education seems to be facing an uphill climb, PUSD continues to work hard to maintain a connected culture, foster learning, and keep its students, faculty, and staff engaged and excited to come to school with a strong work ethic. As a National Capturing Kids Hearts Showcase District, we equip faculty and staff to implement transformational processes focused on social-emotional well-being, relationship-driven campus culture, and student connectedness.
As we continue to face new challenges daily, it is imperative to remain connected, motivated and inspired to learn for forwarding progress. The importance of making sure each heart is okay before expecting performance is the essence of Capturing Kids Hearts and the culture within PUSD. We know that the more a child feels connected and appreciated, the more they internally and emotionally can succeed and want to be a part of the whole.
I hope that all students, families, faculty, and staff thrive and flourish this school year
through interactions with each other, academics, instruction, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, and time with family.
May each of you continue to shine through:
PAYSON
Pride
Respect
Integrity
Determination
Enthusiasm
With Warm Regards,
Linda Gibson
Superintendent
Monday, 7/11/2022
Dear PUSD Families, Faculty, Staff, and Community,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. It continues to be a pleasure serving as the Superintendent of Payson Unified School District since 2020, the heart of the Payson community, which goes much deeper than being a rural school district. Our PUSD community is where individuals fold up their sleeves and help their neighbors without question, volunteer with local community programs, and work together to promote EXCELlence. As an integral part of the Payson community, PUSD faculty and staff have over 5,000 years of experience combining teaching, coaching, sponsorship, volunteering, outside education work experience, counseling services, degrees, and military service.
PUSD continues to work hard to maintain a connected culture, foster learning, and keep its students, faculty, and staff engaged and excited to come to school with a strong work ethic despite public education challenges. I am excited to share that PUSD again has been identified As a National Capturing Kids Hearts Showcase District and now an AVID District. We continue to equip faculty and staff to implement transformational processes focused on social-emotional well-being, relationship-driven campus culture, and student connectedness through critical thinking and engagement.
With opposition that may sometimes appear daily, it is imperative to remain connected, motivated and inspired to learn for forwarding progress. The importance of making sure each heart is okay before expecting performance is the essence of Capturing Kid’s Hearts and the culture within PUSD. We know that the more a child feels cared for, and a sense of belonging with dignity, the more they internally and emotionally can succeed with a desire to respect and have pride.
I hope all students, families, faculty, and staff thrive and flourish this school year through interactions, academics, instruction, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, and time with family.
With Warm Regards,
Dear PUSD Families, Faculty, Staff, and Community,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. It continues to be a pleasure serving as the Superintendent of Payson Unified School District since 2020, the heart of the Payson community, which goes much deeper than being a rural school district. Our PUSD community is where individuals fold up their sleeves and help their neighbors without question, volunteer with local community programs, and work together to promote EXCELlence. As an integral part of the Payson community, PUSD faculty and staff have over 5,000 years of experience combining teaching, coaching, sponsorship, volunteering, outside education work experience, counseling services, degrees, and military service.
PUSD continues to work hard to maintain a connected culture, foster learning, and keep its students, faculty, and staff engaged and excited to come to school with a strong work ethic despite public education challenges. I am excited to share that PUSD again has been identified As a National Capturing Kids Hearts Showcase District and now an AVID District. We continue to equip faculty and staff to implement transformational processes focused on social-emotional well-being, relationship-driven campus culture, and student connectedness through critical thinking and engagement.
With opposition that may sometimes appear daily, it is imperative to remain connected, motivated and inspired to learn for forwarding progress. The importance of making sure each heart is okay before expecting performance is the essence of Capturing Kid’s Hearts and the culture within PUSD. We know that the more a child feels cared for, and a sense of belonging with dignity, the more they internally and emotionally can succeed with a desire to respect and have pride.
I hope all students, families, faculty, and staff thrive and flourish this school year through interactions, academics, instruction, extracurricular and co-curricular activities, and time with family.
With Warm Regards,
Linda Gibson
Superintendent
