Superintendent's Office

Welcome to Superintendent's Office.

My name is Christopher Sonju, and I am the superintendent of the Glencoe-Silver Lake School System.  We proudly represent the communities of Biscay, Brownton, Glencoe, New Auburn, Plato, and Silver Lake.  GSL is a great place to learn, and we are very excited about the future of our school.  Please call or email if you ever have a question.  I will be happy to answer it as best I can.  The 2023-2024 school year is here and we can't be more excited.  While things continue to be ever changing, our commitment to our students, staff, parents, and community will always be our top priority.  We look forward to our days at school and developing those connections which are so important to the learning process. 

Our world is ever-changing. Students today are in competition with others from all over the world. In order to compete, our students must get an education. Education is the foundation that will aid in success as a citizen. We take education very seriously, and we ask all students and families to continue to do the same.   We will continue to expand opportunities for our students, which include and are not limited to career and technical programs.  At GSL we are committed to expanding these classes and others, so we can give our students the competitive edge they need to compete in a global marketplace.

We are very fortunate that education is a priority in our district and that we have a wonderful, supportive community. We must have the attitude that we expect our students, staff, parents, and community to do their best. After all, greatness has been associated with the GSL school system, and we all expect this to continue and to get even better.  As our mission statement says, "Creating a culture where education is valued, excellence is expected, and life-long learning thrives". 

At GSL we expect to provide the best education possible, which means that we need to increase student achievement. This will be something that never ends. We must remember that this is a teaching and learning institution. This is what we do, and having everybody on the same page, we will continue to do extraordinary things. The job of our staff is to engage students on a daily basis, while the job of our students is to learn. These go hand in hand and happen every day.

As we move along in the school year, I'm asking parents to do a couple of small things, but it will go a long way. I ask you to set up a time with your child, on a daily basis, to check school work, planners, and to help with organization.  This is so important in today's world. Don't just ask if homework is finished, ask to see it, check to make sure names are on the top, and that it is returned to the proper folder. This will help insure that the practice your child is doing is handed in on time. Also, please often communicate with your child's teacher.  Having this open dialogue is very important for the success of your child. 

I also ask you to read books to your child, and/or encourage a time for reading at home. Literacy is the foundation of knowledge, and the more students read, the more academic success will follow. We want every student to develop a love of reading. Parents, you play a vital role in the success of your child in school.

Finally, as a school, family, and community, we need to continue to celebrate success. As I mentioned before, our students experience success every day, and we need to continue to recognize this and celebrate. Our students are the most important part of our school and we value them very much. I feel fortunate to be a part of a great organization, and I want to wish our graduating Class of 2024 all the best.  Thank you for being awesome.  Please follow me on twitter @ChrisSonju or my blog, which is linked to this page.  Go Panthers!!

Chris Sonju
Superintendent of Schools
320-864-2498
CSonju@gsl.k12.mn.us

Go Panthers

"Creating a culture where education is valued, excellence is expected and lifelong learning thrives"

To Connect  To Lead   To Inspire