FROM THE
SUPERINTENDENT
A place for everyone to grow as learners in head and heart. These 12 words provide a singular focus
for more than 2,500 students and 500 staff members every day in the School District of Clayton.
Students, some of whom begin their journey in our early childhood program at 15 months old,
follow a path of personalized learning from their first days of kindergarten through their last days at
Clayton High School. Surrounded by a community with a strong legacy of supporting and believing
in its public schools, our talented, caring teachers and staff work to create defining moments each
of our students will remember for a lifetime.
Whether you are a student or a staff member, your Clayton experience is one that starts with
belonging. We take to heart the promise that our schools are a place for everyone. Our community
is truly a sum of all its unique parts. We find beauty in variety and individuality and our students
relish the opportunity to learn about–and with–those who share different cultures or identities.
In Clayton, learning is not, nor should it be, limited to just students. We believe that everyone who
has a relationship with our schools is a learner. We grow together as learners in a collective effort to
be better at what we do, whether we are students, parents, teachers or staff members. We focus on
empowered learning, letting students use their own voice and choice, giving them control over
pace, place and path.
Our schools also emphasize that learning is more than books and tests or awards and admissions.
In addition to learning, our schools are caretakers of students’ physical, social and emotional well-
being, their head and heart. Our students must have more than just a transcript when they leave
our schools. We want them to be self-actualized, intellectually curious, culturally competent,
empathetic individuals who think creatively and work collaboratively.
Whether in the classroom or on the athletic field, we want our students to not only succeed but
also learn skills that will allow them to be future-ready.
Nisha Patel, Ed.D.
Superintendent