Fresno Unified School District
Office of Communications
2309 Tulare Street ~ Fresno, CA 93721~ (559) 457-3733
REMARKS
Principals’ Meeting -- Michael E. Hanson
December 12, 2016

Good afternoon,
It is with mixed emotions that I stand before you today as the leader of this district,
a former teacher, principal, district administrator, and as your colleague…and to
many of you as a personal friend.

I’ve come to let you know that I plan to honor the terms of my contract until
August 2017 as Superintendent of Fresno Unified School District. Julie and I
came to this decision after much deliberation and deep reflection. Since, 2005, I
have been honored to serve thousands of deserving students on the Valley floor.
When I entered in 2005, there were serious concerns about the financial and
academic conditions at Fresno Unified. Many of my colleagues across the state

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 and the nation questioned my decision to take on the monumental challenge.

But, I was not deterred by the obstacles the District faced. I saw something special
here in Fresno, a great place to raise my own family, and the potential for a brighter
future for the thousands of students who call the Central Valley home.

Those of you who have been with us since 2005 are well aware that transforming
this district isn’t an easy feat. But, nothing of great importance is ever
accomplished without hard work and dedication. In this instance, it also required a
group of individuals who were willing to put children first. So, I want to publicly
thank our supportive teachers, resilient principals, and collaborative district
leadership and staff for standing in the gap for our students. I would also like to
thank my remarkable cabinet team who help drive this work every day. Each of
you is incredible in your own right. I would be remiss if I didn’t stop to thank two
of those leaders who have been with me almost since day one: Kim Mecum, the
District’s Chief Academic Officer and Ruthie Quinto, Deputy Superintendent and
Chief Financial Officer. They have invested their time, energy and frequently
personal lives in service to our 74,000 students. I know, working on behalf of these
students has changed me, forever, for the better, and, I am sure they echo my
sentiment. Ruthie and Kim, “Thank you!”

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 Over the past 12 years, and in spite of numerous complicated and longstanding
issues, Fresno Unified has seen steady growth and significant success in every
possible area. We have seen our graduation rate climb over 14% to 83.8%, and we
have developed a sound financial structure that proudly touts twelve consecutive
balanced budgets. All of these achievements are because we stood together and
worked together!

Yes, it’s been a busy 12 years –a productive 12 years –and I’m extremely proud of
the things we’ve managed to accomplish on behalf of our kids.

Today is not easy for me, and like many things in life, it’s bittersweet.

The sweet is because of the remarkable people I've worked with, learned from, and
whom I now call friends –relationships that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

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 It’s sweet because of the stories of remarkable courage, commitment, sacrifice,
and grace from the staff, students, and families. These stories have increased my
love for people and shaped my understanding of the world around me.

It’s sweet because of all that has been accomplished. I’m looking around this
room, --you can take a look around too –and see many of the people who have led
Fresno Unified to be significantly better off today than it was almost twelve years
ago. The foundation is set for the next leader to continue what we have begun.
Here are five areas that give me confidence in that strong foundation:
1) First, a relentless focus on the district’s four (4) board-approved primary
goals. Fresno Unified’s current graduation rate, test scores, progress in other
student metrics, as well as our ever-growing state and national reputation are
proof positive that we have either met, or are close on the heels of our goals.
2) Second, while we began on the verge of state takeover due to struggling
academics and financial uncertainty, we have since maintained a balanced,
sound budget, which enables us to provide our students with some truly
remarkable experiences, including those in the arts, sciences, and career and
technical areas, to name a few. -- Ruthie and team, thank you for leading
this work!
3) Third, we’re creating and using real-time data tracking and the lens of
equity and access to strategically focus our efforts and best manage our

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 accountability metrics. And more importantly, we are starting the humbling
work of improvement science – remember, using data as a flashlight not a
hammer.
4) Fourth, we’ve built 7 new schools and made significant enhancements at
dozens of others. Thanks to community support and confidence in us as a
reliable steward of public funds, bond measures have allowed the district to
provide students and staff with safe, clean, and modern environments. Now,
Measure X ensures that improvements will continue.

5) Fifth, our collaborative partnerships are truly remarkable, when just five
years ago, this spirit of collaboration was missing. Our partnerships with
City of Fresno, Fresno Housing Authority, departments at Fresno County,
numerous institutes of higher education, Fresno County Office of Education,
CORE partner districts, and many others are evidence that we are active on
all fronts, in any way possible, to use our resources and our positions in the
community to help youth have better options in life.

I said this announcement was bittersweet, and the bitter is because of what we
haven’t YET accomplished on behalf of many students - those who are not yet
graduating fully ready, or on time, -- and the persistent achievement gaps for
groups of students. Even while Fresno Unified has made tremendous progress
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 overall, there are groups of students who, on average, are performing below what
we know they are capable of achieving, and below what we expect of ourselves as
a district and as leaders.

There is still time to get more work done together, and that is sweet. While I am
making this announcement today, I plan to honor the terms of my contract until
August 2017. I hope to see you at schools to personally thank you all for your
time and support.

And finally, this announcement is sweet because I look forward to spending
more time with the people who have taken a back seat to my professional work
--my family.

I want you all to know that my educational career is far from over. I will continue
to advocate on behalf of ALL students. The intersection of race and social class is
filled with tension, and if you need to find me, look there. The students of this
district will always have a special place in my heart. I will forever be indebted to
this community for the time, commitment, trust and care you have shown me.

In the time ahead, I will work with our Board of Education in this transition

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 process as they seek to find a candidate to fill my position.

Again, thank you for allowing me to serve alongside you in work that has been a
great benefit to our youth and city. You have led, and by doing so, you have
changed the lives of tens of thousands of young people, and along the way, you
have changed me.

It was important to me that you heard this message directly from me. And please
know that I am also sharing this announcement today with all the staff and many in
the community in a letter and video message sent via email.

Thank you for your time and attention this afternoon. I wish you all well, and look
forward to making the most of the coming months.

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