08/31/2026
A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
August 30, 2026
Dear Capital School District Families and Community,
Tomorrow, our schools will once again come alive as we welcome our kids back for the 2026-2027 school year.
Before that happens, I want to take a moment to thank our families, staff, and community partners throughout Senator Nation who support our schools and, most importantly, our kids.
As we begin this year, two simple statements will help ground our work: Our Purpose Is Kids. Our People Power Our Purpose. Every decision we make as a school district should ultimately connect to preparing our kids for successful futures, and accomplishing that work requires all of us—educators, support staff, families, community partners, and our kids themselves—working together.
Building on Progress and Focusing Our Work
Last year, the Capital School District made modest academic gains in both Reading and Mathematics.
We are encouraged by that progress and grateful for the tremendous work of our kids and staff. Our data also point to areas where we must continue to grow. Progress should be celebrated, but it should also motivate us to keep moving forward. That reflection helped us identify four district priorities for the 2026-2027 school year:
1. Increasing Reading proficiency by 5 percentage points
2. Increasing Mathematics proficiency by 5 percentage points
3. Decreasing chronic absenteeism by 2 percentage points
4. Improving school and district culture based on the experiences and perceptions of our kids, staff, and families
These priorities are not just numbers on a district plan. Reading and mathematics proficiency open doors for kids. Regular attendance gives them access to the opportunities our schools provide. A positive culture creates the conditions in which kids and adults can thrive.
Safe and Positive Learning Environments
One message we heard clearly last year was the importance of ensuring that our schools are safe, positive, orderly, welcoming, and conducive to learning. Every kid has the right to attend school without having their learning repeatedly disrupted. Every staff member deserves an environment in which they can safely and effectively do the work they were hired to do. Every family should feel confident sending their child to a Capital school.
Creating those environments begins with relationships. We want our kids (and our entire community) to know that the adults in their schools know them, care about them, believe in them, and want them to succeed. At the same time, relationships and accountability are not enemies. Caring deeply about kids also means establishing clear boundaries, teaching appropriate behavior, maintaining high expectations, and responding appropriately when those expectations are not met.
Accordingly, some of our areas of emphasis this year will include positive relationships; consistent routines and expectations; respect for people and property; recognition of positive behavior; regular attendance and on-time arrival; responsible use of technology; and accountability for behavior that interferes with the safety, well-being, or learning of others.
Changes to the Student Success Guide
As part of that work, we reviewed and revised our Student Success Guide (SSG), which outlines behavioral expectations and responses to violations of those expectations. In reviewing our experiences from last year, we determined that consequences for some offenses were not sufficiently aligned with the seriousness of the behavior. As a result, we have revised consequences for certain offenses so that our administrators have appropriate tools to address significant and repeated misconduct consistently across our schools.
I want to be clear about what these revisions mean and what they do not mean. Our goal is not to suspend more kids. Our goal is to create environments in which fewer behaviors requiring significant disciplinary consequences occur in the first place.
We will continue to emphasize prevention, relationships, intervention, restoration, support, and opportunities for kids to learn from mistakes. We also recognize that circumstances matter and that we must meet the individual needs of our kids. At the same time, significant behaviors must have meaningful responses, and we have a responsibility to protect the learning environment for everyone.
The revised SSG is available on the Capital School District website and will be reviewed with kids in each of our schools. I also encourage families to review it together at home so that our schools, kids, and families begin the year with a shared understanding of our expectations and our collective responsibility for creating positive learning environments. We ask that you talk with your kids about our expectations and reinforce the importance of attending school regularly, arriving on time, treating others with dignity and respect, following the directions of staff, and contributing to an environment where everyone can teach, learn, and thrive.
We Need Our Families and Community
Schools cannot accomplish this work alone. We need our families as partners—not just when something goes wrong, but throughout the year. Please communicate with your child's teachers and school. Attend conferences and school events when you can. Monitor attendance and academic progress (those can be accessed through Infinite Campus). Ask your child about what they are learning and how things are going. Celebrate their successes.
We also need our broader community. Our kids benefit when businesses, faith communities, nonprofits, civic organizations, alumni, colleges and universities, government agencies, neighbors, and other community partners see themselves as part of Senator Nation. Whether through mentoring, volunteering, internships, career exploration, resources, encouragement, or simply showing up for our kids, there is a place for everyone in this work.
Ultimately, our responsibility extends well beyond helping kids earn a diploma. We want every kid who
leaves Capital School District to be prepared for the next step in their journey. For one graduate, that may mean a four-year college. For another, employment or an apprenticeship. For another, military service. For another, entrepreneurship, technical training, community college, or another form of post-secondary education.
Their paths will not all look the same, and that’s okay. However, every Capital graduate should leave us with the knowledge, skills, experiences, confidence, character, and opportunities necessary to make that next choice from a position of preparation rather than limitation. That is the work before us.
As we begin this new year, I am optimistic about what we will accomplish together. We will celebrate our progress, be transparent about where we need to improve, maintain high expectations for ourselves and our kids, support the people doing the work, and remain focused on the reason we are all here.
Our Purpose Is Kids. Our People Power Our Purpose.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support of the Capital School District. I look forward to seeing our kids back in our schools and working alongside all of Senator Nation to make 2026–2027 an outstanding year.
Have a wonderful school year!
Sincerely,
Victoir T. Cahoon, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
