Superintendent

Dr. Marc Schaffer

Dear Thompson Community,

I could not be more pleased and honored to be serving as your Superintendent of Schools. My commitment to the district and to all of you is to serve each student, staff member, our communities and the Board of Education in a way that honors our excellent traditions, as well as keeping an eye toward our growth and future needs. This is an exciting challenge and one that I fully dedicate and embrace.

As I think about aligning my core values, I look at the Thompson School District mission as being a school district that empowers, challenges and inspires all to learn, achieve and excel. As I set out to provide leadership and vision for the district, I commit to work in partnership and solidarity with the Board of Education, our staff members and our communities.

I also commit to being student centered and student focused. I will always take the time to listen to all stakeholders and do my very best to be responsive and caring. School districts exist to serve students and their needs—I will never lose sight of this.

I wanted to share with you a little bit of my background and experiences. Please know that I have proudly dedicated my entire professional career to public education for nearly 25 years. I have served in a wide array of teaching and leadership capacities and have acquired a broad and diverse skill set centered on serving students, being responsive to communities and having an unwavering commitment to equity and diversity.

I have held a number of administrative roles, from high school dean and middle school principal to director of middle school education and assistant superintendent. My administrative experiences, combined with 10 years of classroom instruction at the elementary, middle and high school levels, have provided me with a broad range of experiences and skills that I am excited to bring to my role in Thompson.

Please know that above all, I value relationships and working with people. I do prefer face-to-face conversations and I will always take the time to listen and understand. Relationships are built on trust, and as your superintendent, I commit to earning your trust by being visible, responsive to your concerns and having an open-door policy.

I am a proud graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. I also have a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Illinois University.

My wife Liz, daughter Elana and two Labrador Retrievers, Lila and Aliya, are super excited to be a part of this district.

In closing, I look forward to the exciting work that lies ahead of us. Thompson School District is a world-class organization with remarkable students, a talented and dedicated staff, an extraordinarily supportive Board of Education and engaged and vibrant communities. I look forward to working hard and sharing in our collective celebrations and accomplishments. The best is yet to come… and I can’t wait to be a part of it all!

Sincerely,
Dr. Marc Schaffer