Super Monday Week 33 SY25

SUPER MONDAY

A motivational and informational morning message from Superintendent Willis

Week 33 ~ April 7th, 2025

Super Monday Message

Planes that take off from the Washington National Airport in Washington DC are facing north and immediately upon take off they are flying over the Potomac River. Seconds later those planes are well into the sky and they pass over the Lincoln Memorial Building or the Washington Monument. On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 took off from Washington National Airport during a heavy snowstorm. The Boeing 737 was delayed due to snow and ice. When the plane finally took off, there was a critical mistake. There was so much ice on the wings that the equipment failed and the plane could not get far into the air. Just moments after liftoff, the plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge. The Boeing hit several vehicles before plunging into the icy Potomac River. 

Seventy-four people on the plane and four people on the bridge died in nearly an instant. Six passengers survived the initial crash into the river. A large part of the plane bobbed in the water and they clung to it. Among the survivors was a man who would become a symbol of selflessness: Arland D. Williams Jr. Williams was one of the most alert of the survivors. As rescue helicopters arrived and began pulling people from the frigid water, a life ring was repeatedly lowered down to the survivors clinging to the wreckage. Each time it reached Williams, he passed it to someone else.

The helicopter made several trips, lifting each person to safety one at a time. Each time the ring came down again, Williams gave it away to others. He guided others to the ring and helped secure them to it. By the time the helicopter returned one final time, Williams was gone, swallowed by the freezing river. The final piece of the plane had sunk and Williams had gone down with it. He had sacrificed his life to ensure that others could live.

It was only later, when the identities of the survivors and victims were confirmed, that the world learned who the hero was. Arland D. Williams Jr. was a 46-year-old bank examiner from Atlanta. He wasn’t a trained first responder or a soldier. He was an ordinary man, caught in an extraordinary moment, who made an extraordinary choice.

Williams’ story is one of quiet courage, a reminder that true heroism often appears in the most unexpected places. In the face of overwhelming fear and freezing water, his instinct was not to save himself, but to help others. His selflessness became a symbol of what it means to put others before yourself.

To honor his sacrifice, the 14th Street Bridge was later renamed the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge. President Reagen presented his family with the Coast Guard’s Gold Lifesaving Medal as an additional honor.

We hope to never face the circumstances that Williams faced in his final moments, but we do face opportunities to be selfless on a daily basis. Small acts of selflessness by even one, make a significant difference in an increasingly selfless world. Look for opportunities to be selfless this week and have the best week 33.

Super High Fives

Just a couple of the awesome recent accomplishments that need a big thank you. 

• A super high five to all of the students, staff, and volunteers that participated in the high school musical. Everyone did a great job and it was a fantastic success. A great event for families and a great demonstration of talents. 
• Super high five to Hunter Tanner and her work with our online school, Utah Peak Academy. Hunter supports over a hundred students across the state. She has been instrumental in making our first year with the new school a success. We’re grateful for her great work.

Other Super Information

• Latest Elementary School Design (CES) (OES)
• Spring Sports Calendar
• 2024-2025 School District Calendar
• 2025-2026 School District Calendar

Super Weekly Schedule