PHOTO CAPTION: Dr. Jennifer Hills-Papetti, Vernon's new superintendent of schools, met teachers for the first time on Monday and took selfies with her new colleagues.

Vernon Public Schools students return to school Thursday, but teachers, administrators and staff are already back preparing for the new year, meeting new colleagues, and meeting Vernon’s new superintendent of schools, Dr. Jennifer Hills-Papetti.

Monday was the annual convocation that formally kicks off the school year. Hills-Papetti introduced herself, new teachers and staff were introduced and veteran educators were honored for their years of service. The district’s teacher of the year also talked about the important role teachers play in students’ lives.

And it all got off with a bang as the district’s instrumental music teachers marched in and then performed two songs. Kelly Stein, Vernon’s Teacher of Year and an elementary instrumental music teacher, organized and led her colleagues.

The focus of the convocation, as always, was on serving Vernon students and helping them advance academically and as people.

Hills-Papetti, who began work in Vernon on Aug. 10, said she has been meeting staff members, administrators, custodians, secretaries, new teachers, veteran teachers, board of education members, town council members, Mayor Dan Champagne and employees throughout town.

“After all of those meetings, one thing continued to ring true over and over again,” she said. “The Vernon Public Schools have the best staff around. Every single person I spoke to talked about the strength of the people who make up the Vernon Public Schools – their dedication to students, their hard work, their unwavering commitment to doing what’s right every single day to make sure all of our students succeed.”

Hills-Papetti, who received a warm, enthusiastic welcome at the convocation, told her new colleagues about her experience and her family, her house full of pets and her son Andrew’s love of baseball.

“So now you may be thinking, ‘that’s nice, but I’m trusting you to lead our district,’” she said. “So, what is it you really stand for?”

Hills-Papetti got right to the point.

“First and foremost, I stand for students,” she said. “And in order to stand for students, I know I need to make sure that I support every staff member that comes to work every day so that our students can have the best possible educational experience. And I give you my word, standing here today, that that is exactly what I am here to do.”

Hills-Papetti pledged to listen, collaborate and be transparent. She said her door will always be open and said she would ensure that every faculty member has what they need to do their job.

“I will give 110 percent to you and everyone in the district every single day,” she said.

She also promised to work to enhance the strong systems already in place, to grow the partnership between the district and families and the community, and to always be kind.

“But please also know that I am not ever afraid to do the hard work or make the difficult decisions that may have to be made to continue to move the Vernon Public Schools in the right direction,” she said. “I promise to do my best every single day to work together with each and every one of you so we can continue to help our students reach the highest level of success possible.”

Teacher of the Year Kelly Stein talked about what she has learned as an instrumental music teacher and leading fifth graders in band.

Photo caption: Vernon Teacher of the Year Kelly Stein, left, and Vernon's new superintendent of schools, Jennifer Hills-Papetti, who is sporting a Rockville High School shirt.

Some may not consider music a core content area for students, but music along with art, world languages, physical education, health as well as math, English, science and social studies all help students not only learn but evolve.

“When I first stood in front of my beginning band students in Vernon in 2009, I believed my goal was to build the strongest musicians possible through challenging music and high expectations,” she said. “As a young, dedicated teacher, I poured all of my energy into helping my students achieve musical excellence, and many of them did.”

As she gained experience she saw students and the world evolve, and realized that she needed to adapt as well.

“I realized I was here to teach these kids a lot more than notes and rhythms,” Stein said. “If they are truly going to master an instrument – or really, any skill – there are some life skills they need to learn first.”

Caption: Vernon Public Schools music teachers perform for their colleagues at Monday's convocation.

Many of today’s students expect instant results. If something doesn’t work right, they press a button on their phone for an answer. If their instrument makes an odd noise, they wonder what is wrong with the instrument.

“When I reflected on this, I realized what an opportunity I have,” she said. “I get to teach kids something that doesn’t offer instant success. Learning an instrument requires perseverance, emotional regulation, collaboration and responsibility. Mistakes are a huge part of the process.”

These skills do not apply just to band class, but to every lesson in every student’s life.

“I am helping students build confidence, find belonging, develop leadership, and discover that they are capable of more than they thought,” she said.

Students will find a passion in something – music, sports, art, robotics, theater “or something we haven’t thought of yet,” Stein said. “That’s why it’s so important that we give students as many opportunities as possible to find what inspires them. When we find that thing, we can use it to help them build the skills they need to succeed.”

Every teacher and staff member plays a crucial role in helping students find their way and grow, not just academically, but as people, she said.

“We all teach different subjects,” Stein said. “We have different students, different challenges, and different ways of teaching. But we share the same responsibility: to help our students become not just successful students, but resilient, responsible and confident people.”

Mayor Dan Champagne and Board of Education Chairman Paul Grabowski welcomed teachers back to school and wished them success in the new school year.

Mayor Champagne said he appreciates the hard work teachers perform each day and each year. “Thank you for everything you do,” he said. “Thank you or the successes and may we continue to seem through the coming year.”

Grabowski thanked the teaches for their warm welcome of Hills-Papetti. “I’m really thrilled she’s joined the team,” he said. “She is an exceptional education leader. The board really wanted to make sure we found the right person for Vernon, who fit the culture that was here for the community and who could really help move the district forward and help our students. I believe we found that in Dr. Hills-Papetti.”

He also talked about the work the board is doing to support the schools, including facilities improvements and a planned school building project to provide state-of-the-art facilities for Vernon students.

He also expressed pride in Vernon and its commitment to its children and the schools.

“I am extremely proud of our community for investing in education,” he said. “We care about education.”

Vernon Education Association President Peter Borofsky, a social studies teacher at Rockville High School, welcomed the new superintendent and urged his colleagues to look to each other and to support each other.

“Obviously, the most exciting that we have going on this year is welcoming our new superintendent,” he said. “I think I can speak for the district and say we are thrilled to have you. It’s a breath of fresh air.” He said he is looking forward to building a strong, collaborative partnership with Hills-Papetti.