Sandy Creek’s new superintendent shares his vision
As Rod Foley prepares for his first school year as superintendent of Sandy Creek Schools, he says his priority hasn’t been making sweeping changes. Instead, it has been listening, learning and getting to know the people and communities that make up the district.
Although Foley came to Sandy Creek after serving 18 years as principal of Walnut Middle School in Grand Island, he said the district has already left a strong impression on him.
One of the biggest surprises, he said, has been discovering the unique identity of each of the five communities that make up the district and the way they unite behind their schools.
“Sandy Creek isn’t just a school district that serves five communities,” Foley said. “It’s a school district that is strengthened by five communities. That close-knit support creates opportunities for our students that simply wouldn’t be possible without the commitment of our families, businesses and community members.”
He said he has also been impressed by the opportunities available to students, from the NCAPS program and college credit opportunities to athletics, fine arts and extracurricular activities. Just as important, he said, are the teachers and staff who invest their time and energy into helping students succeed.
Relationships have long shaped Foley’s approach to education.
“Great schools are built by great people and the relationships we create with one another,” he said.
While education continues to evolve, Foley said students still need many of the same things they always have: caring adults who encourage them, support them and help them grow.
At the same time, he believes caring for students also means challenging them.
“Sometimes the most caring thing we can do is have a difficult conversation, set a boundary, or challenge a student to do better,” Foley said. “Our job as educators and adults is to help students develop the habits and character they need to be successful beyond high school.”
When asked what concerns him most in education today, Foley didn’t point to funding, technology or standardized testing. Instead, he said he worries about a decline in students’ motivation to learn.
Rod Foley begins his first school year as superintendent of Sandy Creek Public Schools, bringing more than two decades of educational leadership experience to the district. COURTESY PHOTO | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
“We live in a world where most of us carry a small rectangle in our hands or pockets that can provide the answer to almost any question we can imagine,” Foley said. “Too often, we can get the answer without the productive struggle, the exploration, or the process of figuring things out.”
He said one of education’s greatest challenges is helping students remain curious and willing to work through difficult problems instead of simply searching for quick answers.
Foley also believes the public doesn’t always see the countless ways teachers support students outside the classroom.
“The stories that make headlines are rarely the stories of the teacher who stays after school to help a struggling student, attends a student’s ballgame on the weekend, buys supplies out of their own pocket, or quietly changes the trajectory of a child’s life through encouragement and compassion,” he said. “Those moments happen every day.”
As he begins his first year leading the district, Foley said he hopes to build trust by being visible, listening carefully and keeping students at the center of every decision.
When asked what he hopes people will say after his first year, Foley didn’t mention awards or accomplishments. Instead, he said he hopes students, staff and families will remember that he listened, cared and remained committed to doing what is best for kids.
“I hope students, staff and families would say that I listened, that I cared, and that I was committed to doing what is best for kids,” Foley said. “At the end of the year, I hope people see that we are building a culture, and that success is not just measured by what we accomplish in one year, but by the trust and momentum we build together for the future.”
