Intentionality is the word Dr. Matthew Constant is using as he prepares for his first fully in-person “First Day” of school since taking over as Superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools. Constant said this year he, along with the rest of the district, is trying to be the most intentional they can be for each of their 5,000 students on Aug. 11 and beyond.
Constant has officially served as superintendent since July 2020 — after six months as interim. He recalled the feeling he had last August for his inaugural first day, which was under different circumstances.
In the days leading up to the first day of the 2020-21 school year, Constant said there were conversations about starting out virtually or going hybrid — and they eventually started fully virtual.
Now he’s thankful that due to the vaccines, he and the school are allowed to see the students in-person, which he’ll be taking advantage of as he visits the different district campuses on Wednesday.
“I’ll be going to every campus, and checking in, welcoming kids as they come in and seeing kids in class, checking in with principals to be sure they have what they need,” Constant said. “…I’m excited about it, it’s always one of those days that reinvigorate me as an educator.”
Along with OPS, the Daviess County Public Schools and Owensboro Catholic Schools recently mandated universal facial coverings for the school year. While Constant said this may not be the choice anybody prefers, if the mandate will keep the kids in the schools and won’t get them quarantined at home, “then we are ready.”
Adding onto intentionality, Constant is adding three new words to his staff’s daily vocabulary: care, repair and prepare. He said these three words will prepare the faculty to care for the students on the personal level he believes OPS does best, repair any damage that COVID-19 may have stirred up academically or behaviorally, and prepare the students for the next level.
By practicing those three, he believes that the school will be able to cater to their students this school year. At the core of it all though, Constant is excited for the year to begin, to be able to see the students and set them up for what comes next.
“I’m just really looking forward to being able to hold on to our students, all year long,” Constant said.
