Announcement from Maisha Rounds
Posted on 04/01/2022
Dear Fletcher-Maynard Academy Community,
I am writing to let you know that I will be stepping into a new role as the Director of the Center for Public Leadership Programs at the Harvard Kennedy School at the conclusion of this school year. This is an exciting new opportunity but bittersweet in that this means bidding farewell to each of you. My last day at FMA will be June 30th. I am working closely with Superintendent Dr. Victoria Greer and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michelle Madera to ensure a smooth transition in the coming months.
I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for affording me the privilege of serving as your principal. Over the past two years, we have forged strong relationships, and I have truly enjoyed getting to know each of you. Together, we have made magic happen, won grants, catalyzed double-digit student gains on screeners and benchmark assessments, and led the way in equity initiatives demonstrating the greatness that resides within FMA. I appreciate your tireless efforts and labor of love from every stakeholder group, from the PTO to our Instructional Leadership Team, and every committee in between. Having the support of our central office staff, district leadership, and community partners have been instrumental in helping me move mountains to get the resources needed to launch our school community forward. Most of all, getting to know each scholar as an individual has been the highlight of this part of my journey. While leading through the pandemic came with many challenges, the resilience of our school community inspired me to keep pressing forward. I have grown in so many ways thanks to you, and I will forever be grateful.
You will receive communication from Dr. Greer and Dr. Madera next week about the principal search process. As you embark on this journey, I want to encourage you to take the learnings from this time we spent together during the pandemic forward with you. Embrace change, for change is constant. Measure everything in student benefit, and remember that teamwork makes the dream work.
Again, thank you for welcoming me into this community with open arms, open minds, and open hearts. Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude for the opportunity to lead, learn, and grow together alongside each of you. I will miss you all dearly, but I know that FMA is a much stronger school community and will unite to ensure the next leader of FMA will carry on the great work that has begun.
Sincerely,
Dr. Maisha Rounds,
Proud Principal