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“People don’t care how much we know until they
know how much we care.” --Author
Unknown
Many years ago, I
read this quote and it became a guiding principle for me as an educator.
In other words, I believe educators must see and care about the child
before we view the child as a student. Once
a caring, nurturing relationship between teacher and child is established, we
can begin our primary function to continue the education of each precious child
into a capable, responsible, caring young person.
Parents are the child’s first and continuing
teacher. It is our responsibility,
as educators, to work closely with parents to build a trusting, cooperative,
collaborative relationship so that, together, we can nurture each child toward
his or her intellectual, emotional, and physical potential.
Developing a positive school
climate will be created by all the interactions each of us have with one
another. It will be important for us to build a cohesive sense of
community, especially with all students, parents and staff coming from different
schools and backgrounds. Regardless
of the colors or mascot our students select, I hope that all members of the
Highcroft School community will view themselves as Highcroft Helpers, an
attitude that permeates all actions and achievements.
Given
a nurturing, safe and secure learning environment, the dedicated staff of
Highcroft can proceed with the primary function of our school – to help
children learn. I believe school is
children’s work which they should undertake with interest, enthusiasm,
motivation and pleasure.
An outstanding Highcroft staff will provide exciting,
hands-on learning activities, based on the North Carolina Standard Course of
Study, research on learning, and best practices of instruction.
Students will be held to high standards, both behaviorally and
academically. Each child will be
successful with our guidance, along with important parental support and
assistance.
Children are our greatest natural resource.
I take my educational responsibility to the children of Highcroft
Elementary School very seriously. I
pledge that I, along with an outstanding instructional staff, will provide
caring support, instructional expertise and dedicated commitment to nurture and
educate your children while entrusted to our care.
If you have additional questions, you can email them to
me at jhughes@wcpss.net.
I will answer them as soon as possible.
Responses to questions of a general nature will be posted on
this website.
In closing, let me say how excited I am to be
opening Highcroft. Many years ago,
I was a school psychologist and staff member of a new school. After that principal encouraged me to become a principal, I
decided that I wanted to open a new school someday. Over the last sixteen years, I have served as principal at
three other schools, one in Arizona and two in my native North Carolina.
Personally, I am very excited about my own dream coming true.
It is my goal for you, as parents, to feel as pleased and excited about
Highcroft for your children as I am to be your principal.
Let’s join together, as a team, to make Highcroft Elementary School the
very best.
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Together
Everyone
Achieves
More
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