Families,

 

What a great start to the year! We were excited to welcome our students back for another great year of learning and growth. The start is always one of my favorite parts of the year. I love getting to meet our new students, and getting the opportunity to catch up with our students who have been here before. It’s a fresh start, a time for hope, and to give our students a solid foundation for the year ahead. 

This year our focus is really about learning, leading, and growing. While learning is a natural part of school, leading and growing are characteristics that may not always show up in tangible ways in middle school. Our hope as we go throughout this year is that we present opportunities for our students to not only learn, but to lead, and grow as a person and as a learner. Then, we want to ensure that we celebrate that growth as we go through the year. 

 

As you may know, one of our district goals is to ensure safe and welcoming learning environments. I want our families to know that is also one of my top priorities as principal as well. Having two boys myself who are in school, I fully understand as a parent, the need for a safety and ensuring school is a welcoming place. I’ve asked our staff to start the year by clearly communicating the high standards, high expectations, and high accountability we have for all students. You can support this work by talking with your child about your own expectations for their behavior at school and the importance of treating others with respect here at school.

 

I am really excited for the year ahead and I am looking forward to the learning, leading, and growing that will be happening here at Ridgetop this year. Have a great weekend!

Shaun Takenouchi