"Over the next two weeks, children in grades 3-8 across our region and state are taking mandatory Common Core standardized testing. I just wanted to take a moment to send a quick message to our parents, teachers and children.

“First, to our parents, thank you for your continued advocacy and passion, ensuring your voice is heard regarding your children's education. Thank you for realizing and understanding it is our involvement as parents with our children, helping them with their homework, listening to their concerns, communicating with their teachers, and being watchdogs to ensure they are provided with future opportunities and the best education possible so they can achieve their goals and dreams, whatever they may be.

“Second, to our teachers, thank you for all you do each day to help bring light and energy into our children's lives. It is your caring, your time, your effort, your hard work, and your dedication to your students that will make the impact and difference in helping them learn and grow, not how they perform on these tests. Please know that many of us recognize a high-stakes standardized test does not measure that relationship between you and your students in the classroom or the success and growth you have achieved with your kids over the course of the school year. Thank you for the commitment you have and will continue to show our kids.

“And finally, to our children, please know that you are bright, intelligent, incredible kids. Your success, your future and your self-worth are not, and never will be, measured by how you perform on these standardized tests. You are more than a test, and I hope you never forget that. Set big goals, always believe in yourself, and fly toward your dreams.

“We certainly need to continue to improve the education our children receive. I am all for that. But I will say now what I have said before, if we want to reform and improve the education our children receive, then we first must treat parents as our partners, our teachers as professionals, and ensure our children's self-worth is not measured by how they perform on a high-stakes standardized test. Thank you all for what you do to help our children grow and learn."