Melissa Pritchard
The 2011-2012 school year is here! Welcome back! We are glad that you are at Mountainview and look forward to serving you. There are a few changes since last year. The school day has been lengthened 15 minutes. School will begin at 8:00 and end at 3:15. For the first time, Mountainview students will be wearing Standard Mode of Dress. Please make sure that students are in dress code daily. Dr. Shepard has moved to become principal of Lake Air Middle School and I am proud to become the new principal at Mountainview. Joining me as assistant principal is Mr. Jeremy Kidd, moving over from Alta Vista Elementary. I look forward to this new challenge in my career and hope to be of service to you throughout the year.
Mountainview became an accredited PYP campus in April of 2011. We continue our PYP journey this year with a new IB Coordinator, Mrs. Morgan Castillo, and look forward to expanding our students' IB experience. For the first time, our fourth graders will participate in Exhibition. Exhibition is a culmination of their IB learning experience. You will be hearing more about Exhibition as the year progresses. We will have many opportunities for involvement from our parents and community members.
Mountainview was rated a recognized campus by TEA. STAAR will be the new assessment this spring and is promising to be a much more rigourous test! We have great teachers and are excited about our inquiry, hands-on, classroom teaching style. Our students excel with Spanish, art, music and technology instruction.
For 2011, we will have two classes of Pre-K and four classes per grade level for K through 4th grade. Several of our staff changed grade levels this year and are settling into their new grade levels. We want to welcome Peggy Lambert to our first grade team, Tommie Aaron as our math interventionist, Jennifer Strickland as our special education teacher and Laura Nino as our new nurse.
Mountainview is a special place! Our students are responsible for their own learning because Mountainview teachers design lessons that require active participation and engaged brains. We look forward to an academically challenging 2011-2012 school year!