Dear Coyote Families,

As we are well into semester two, we are so excited to celebrate the great things happening at Mountain Shadows. Our theme, Leaders are BLOOMING at Mountain Shadows, really says so much for the student learning growth we have seen this year.  

As a Leader in Me Lighthouse School, we believe that our students need to be equipped with self-confidence, motivation, and learning skills in order to thrive in the 21^st century. The tools used within the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Leaders help students to acquire goal-setting strategies that help them be successful both in and out of the classroom. Weekly, our teachers talk with students about their lead measures and how they are making progress towards their goal.

Our emphasis is place on our belief that every child is a genius! This means that each student and staff member has something that they thrive in. Walking down the halls, every Mountain Shadows student has an item posted with their genius. For example, you will see showcasing their artistic ability, their pride in caring for younger siblings, and how good they are at math. In the cafeteria, the staff showcase their talents too, showing our students that everyone really does have genius.

Although we continue to be limited with parent involvement opportunities this school year, I do encourage you to “find your voice” (Habit 8). Each year, we do a Parent & Community Member Satisfaction Survey and a Leader in Me Parent Survey. It’s important that we know how we are doing in the areas of social/emotional, safety, and in meeting your child’s academic achievement. Additionally, our goal is to keep you informed so that you are able to be involved in your children’s education. You may have received a positive call home or a call reporting your child’s progress. By working together in partnership, we will create a positive learning environment that will help increase student success. As a reminder, we also hold an annual Leader in Me Leadership Day. This year our Leadership Day is on May 6^th. This is an opportunity for our students to show off their leadership and learning.

As always, safety is priority. Please follow the drop-off and pick-up procedures and cross at the crosswalk, as you continue to set good examples for our students.  I realize these things may be timely, but are necessary for keeping our students safe at all time. We are excited to keep safety as a high importance. I appreciate your support in following the rules and keeping our campus a safe place to be. 

I am thrilled to be leading a campus that employs teachers who are passionate and provide innovative and effective instruction to their students. This school year, we have been recognized as an A+ School of Excellence and a Model PLC at Work School. We take great pride in the work that our students and staff are doing. The staff works diligently to guide and facilitate learning throughout the school day. Students are self-driven and knowledgeable of what it takes to reach their goals.

Working together in partnership creates a positive learning environment that will help increase student success. I encourage you to reach out to our staff with questions, suggestions, or just to say hello. Have a wonderful second semester!

Educationally yours,

Janet Gilbert, Ph.D.

Principal