March 3, 2023
Dear LRSD Families:
We are blessed to have a caring community of parents, teachers and families who all want what is best for our children. While there is much to celebrate regarding student success, we cannot ignore the serious behavioral issues that have arisen on our campuses. Our District teams work hard to establish a culture and climate that is supportive and conducive to learning, but this is work that requires an “all-hands-on-deck” approach. Parents, we need you. Every statistic you will read shows that when parents/guardians, teachers and administrators work together in terms of behavioral expectations, we have a much better learning environment.
We know that young people, like adults, face challenges and conflict, but all students deserve the opportunity to learn in an environment that is free from bullying and violence. These behaviors are not only harmful and dangerous, but they are also disruptive and will result in serious consequences. LRSD will not continue to tolerate these extreme violations of our student code of conduct and acts of violence. We will not hesitate to enact appropriate disciplinary procedures.
The District has begun and will continue conversations with community stakeholders to include: the City of Little Rock, members of the Youth and Family Services Commission, faith-based organizations, the Little Rock Police Department, our students and last but perhaps most importantly, parents, to brainstorm ways to mitigate neighborhood violence, social media related conflicts, and various traumas which ultimately have a negative impact on the culture and climate of our schools.
We must not forget there are many positive things happening in our District (too many to list). At the same time, we know how important safety is to learning. With our combined efforts, we can do so much more. Again, parents, we need you. It takes all of us working together to ensure student success. Thank you for your continued support of the Little Rock School District.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jermall Wright
LRSD Superintendent