Alexa's Departure

Dear MLC Families,
I hope this letter finds you enjoying warm summer days and savoring each delicious moment of this time with your children. My family just returned from a special trip to Norway to visit dear friends and spend time together as a family before my oldest goes to college. This time as a family was especially important as this spring one of my children experienced a significant mental health crisis. Although my family is doing well now, this event caused me to reflect on my ability to balance being a principal and a mom. I spent most of June and July reflecting on what it means to be a building administrator.

I have always led my life by looking for signs and listening to my heart, and during this time of reflection, I was contacted by the Oregon Department of Education about a Director position in the area of Teaching and Learning. At first I did not imagine myself leaving a school district for a state agency; however, with all that is happening in the national landscape right now, I realized that I have an opportunity to influence education on a whole different level. The job was offered to me while we were in Norway and we had a long family discussion about this transition and opportunity, and ultimately I accepted the position. Honestly, this is a frightening leap for me because I have always felt most myself in a school building; however, I also know that Oregon needs leaders who will prioritize equity, social emotional learning, and relevant, authentic learning experiences. I have learned so much from MLC’s model and what happens when we tend to both the hearts and minds of young people, and engage them in meaningful work. This model is what all children deserve and I will bring this perspective to my new role. 

I realize my departure may take many of you by surprise. I planned to be at MLC for many years as I truly adore the staff, students, and families at MLC. It is such a unique and special program. MLC is a strong community with an outstanding staff that will continue to put students first. I will genuinely miss working with the children and families at MLC. It has been a true honor to serve as your principal. Your dedication to an alternative educational experience for your children and your engagement in our community made the decision to leave incredibly challenging, yet it is the best decision for my family at this time.

I feel very fortunate that Margarita Wilson will continue to serve as the AP for MLC. Margarita will enter her fourth year at MLC and she has a deep understanding of the uniqueness of MLC as well as the goals for 2019-2020. I feel confident that the school will be in good hands and that the opening of school will be successful.

The process for selecting a new principal will begin immediately. The first step will be a community meeting. Staff, parents, and the community are invited to meet with Korinna Wolfe, the senior director of MLC, who want to hear about the characteristics and challenges that make MLC unique. She will also be prepared to explain the full hiring process in more detail and to gather input on the desired characteristics of the new principal.
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The MLC community meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, August 6th from 5:00 - 6:00 pm in the MLC auditorium. The information from the input session is used throughout the process and will be shared with the selected candidate to provide them a sense of the community’s priorities and values. If you are unable to attend, you will still be able to provide feedback through a survey that we will be sending out through School Messenger following the meeting. 
Thank you for all of your support and for the honor of serving as your principal. I look forward to hearing about all the amazing and innovative things happening at MLC. I am still a PPS parent, so I hope to see you in the community.
With gratitude and respect,
Alexa