Easy Rider - Intend to Ascend Dr. Scott V. Nicol, Superintendent January 5, 2017 Dear Ellington Community – This summer, I watched the movie Easy Rider, a 1969 American counterculture movie starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper with Jack Nicholson in a supporting role. I hadn't watched this award winning film since college. It was an R movie and by today's standards it would have been rated PG-13. Times have certainly changed. Easy Rider portrays the journey of two hippie-generation bikers (Fonda and Hopper) who travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans during the 1960's. Along their ride, they encounter societal tensions and open hostility, in part due to the length of their hair and style of their clothes. The tone of the film can best be described by this quote from George Hanson, played by Jack Nicholson, "They'll talk to ya and talk to ya and talk to ya about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." Yes, times have changed, but sometimes we forget how that change can create the illusion of fear. Today, society in general is in the throes of great change, an evolution of sorts in which turmoil appears to be ever present. From the upcoming Presidential elections to the tragic domestic and overseas violent acts to protests and demonstrations on a myriad of issues, tensions are running high. However, change doesn't have to be scary. Amongst the noise, if people quiet their minds, they can hear the pleasant sounds of change. They can see the glimmer of the light contrasting against the dark. They can sense the progress despite the obstacles. The Ellington Public Schools is a rising public educational institution during a time of uncertainty. We are not afraid and we intend to ascend. Ellington Events Magazine Fall 2016 Submission: Ellington Public Schools Ascending The Ballad of Easy Rider, a song written by The Byrds' front man Roger McGuinn with contributions from Bob Dylan, begins with this lyric: The river flows, it flows to the sea Wherever that river goes that's where I want to be Flow river flow, let your waters wash down Take me from this road to some other town Well, that other town is Ellington, a school district which values both experienced and emerging talented educators. This belief is reflected in hiring and staffing for the 2016 – 2017 school year. Twenty-four newly hired teachers are welcomed to Ellington and an additional twenty-three internal transfers will serve in newly created or different roles within the organization. Here are the particulars, which don't include the large number of paraprofessional hirings and reassignments: Biographies of Newly Hired Teachers Internal Teacher Transfers The 2016-2017 school year will be a continuation of the Ellington Public Schools' ascension. Hard working EPS teachers will report to work on Monday, August 29th with the first day of school for students on Wednesday, August 31st. As Captain America (played by Peter Fonda) in Easy Rider sits down to dinner he states to his host, "No, I mean it, you've got a nice place...You do your own thing in your own time. You should be proud." The Ellington Public Schools are proud. Proud to be a part of the Town of Ellington family, proud to do our own thing in our own time, to do what is best for the collective while honoring each student's right to determine his or her own path in life. We are not afraid, we intend to ascend. .