June 9, 2020
Dear Hopewell City Public Schools’ Community:
Over the past week, our school system was dedicated to honoring the HHS Class of 2020, a group of brave and courageous students who have sacrificed so much of their senior year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. And while my heart has been so blessed to imagine and dream for the futures of these graduates, it also has been extremely heavy and burdened as our country mourns the horrific murder and loss of one of God’s children, made in His image, George Floyd. The purpose of this letter is to commit to you all, especially those who have entrusted your children to this public education system under my leadership, one promise. We will actively be a part of the healing, the action and the change on behalf of, and in support of our Black students, families, employees and communities.
For over thirty hours last week during their individual ceremonies, I had the privilege to personally talk to those 250 Hopewell High School graduates, the majority of whom are Black. Not one of them passed by me on the stage at MernerField, that I didn’t grieve for their precious hearts, futures and souls given the state of this country and the sad but honest truth that we have so much more work to do to address the racism and inequity they face each and every day. And while my focus was on them in those moments and in celebration of all they have accomplished in their last 13 years of public education, I held the tremendous burden, yet OPPORTUNITY in my heart, that immediately, we must go to work with a renewed purpose, energy, enthusiasm and HOPE than ever before, that WE ARE GOING TO BE THE GENERATION THAT ACKNOWLEDGES AND MAKES THE DIFFERENCE to bringing social justice to our brothers and sisters through the greatest platform ever for real, systemic and sustainable change…EDUCATION.
I do not profess to have all (or any) of the answers; however, the one thing I am certain of is my love for this City, this school district, our families, our staff and our greatest resource, our children. I know how to lead, but I can never truly and fully understand the journeys of my Black colleagues, friends and students, and I will publicly acknowledge that. I am a white woman, and I am going to need help. I sincerely believe that TOGETHER, we can make a difference. I have seen it multiple times a day for the last five years in our City and school district. I am proud of all that we have accomplished during this time on behalf of our students and City, and I have no doubt, we can come together around this critical issue for our country with an unwavering focus, a plan, measures of our success and an agenda for CHANGE we can be proud of together. This is our moral imperative, my friends. WE MUST BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION IN HOPEWELL. As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world.” Our district mission requires us to “inspire and ignite a passion in our students...to CHANGE the world.” Today, we will take responsibility for acknowledging our shortcomings and challenges, and together, we will seek to do just that---change our world.
Last week, we began putting together an internal advisory coalition of our employees who want to be a part of leading this work and I will meet with high school students today to begin conversations to gain their important perspective. As we begin to design this work moving forward, we are committed to four broad pillars as a foundation…we will LISTEN, we will LEARN, we will LOVE and we will LEAD. I pray, that five years after being called to this amazing City and work, you know my heart...and while it is broken, I know we can find HOPE in that today is a “different time and a different season,” a season where we wrap our arms, heads, and our hearts around each other---finally making this right for our children and our communities.
Thank you for your continued trust and confidence.
With love and renewed conviction,
Melody Hackney
Superintendent of Schools
Unwavering HOPE ‘til all the children are WELL!