September 2014
Five years ago we were excitedly moving into our new building. We had many empty classrooms and the whole 7th floor was left unused. Our 20 teachers were getting to know each other as new colleagues and were preparing to welcome 270 students in 4 new grades. Today, we have 879 students and a staff of over 90. We have gone from an empty school building to one that is very full with students often spilling out of classrooms into the hallways to work in groups. We have just completed our first year with a full complement of grades K-8. One of the things I am most proud of about our school community is that our school mission statement really drives our work. Our mission statement says:
The mission of PS/IS 276 is to provide a public education for grades pre-kindergarten through 8 that fosters the intellectual, social, creative, and physical growth of each student in a safe and nurturing environment. We strive to empower each student to achieve his or her greatest potential and inspire students to use that potential for the benefit of others and the world.
To fulfill this mission, we have built a strong curriculum that engages and challenges students and our classrooms are filled with resources. We also have a number of great programs supported by the PTA that allow us to expand on this commitment. Some new initiatives this year include a math coach, Ariel Dlugasch, to support our teachers in providing an outstanding math curriculum for all our learners, and a drama teacher on staff, Kailey Larkin, who will work with all grades to enrich our social studies and literacy curriculum.
School success is measured in multiple ways – some more valid than others. Yes, we get good test scores. More importantly, I can see we are successful by the enthusiasm of students as they come in the door each morning, by the quality of their work, and by their involvement with ideas. We can measure our success by the commitment of our teachers who have spent the summer studying, traveling, and preparing for the new school year. This year promises to be a year filled with learning and adventures, new friends and exciting opportunities to come together and grow as a school community.
Terri
