Dear Allen School Community,

 

Hello and welcome!  I hope each of you has enjoyed a restful summer with your family and friends and are ready to begin another school year.  As your new principal, I am very excited to get to know each of you as we work together to achieve Allen School’s vision of academic and artistic excellence for every child.  

 

In addition to fostering high student achievement, our staff is also committed to providing a safe, friendly school environment that cultivates a positive self-concept for our students.  Student behavioral standards have been established and are reviewed throughout the year.  There are many opportunities for individual students as well as classes to earn merits for their positive behavior.  Programs such as Safety Patrol and bullying prevention will continue at Allen, as they demonstrate outstanding citizenship skills to students.  Our staff will also review and revise our Safe School Plan as well as the School Disaster Procedures so that we will be prepared in the event of an emergency. 

 

Parent involvement is welcomed and encouraged at Allen School.  Besides volunteering in classrooms, parents can be seen monitoring traffic and the school entrance so that all children enter campus safely.  We are also extremely fortunate to an active Parent-Teacher Club and have many parents that volunteer to organize and oversee several fun events during the school year that truly bring the community together.  I’m already looking forward to Curriculum Night, BonitaFest and the Harvest Festival. 

 

Students, staff, and parents are also excited to show their many talents during the year at events that include the Variety Show, Folk Dancing Night, and an Art Walk, which is new this year.  Our students participate in four Visual and Performing Arts strands:  dance, drama, vocal music, and the visual arts.  Our students receive additional instruction in these areas by very qualified artists who know just how to engage and inspire children.  Through research we know that participation in the Arts promotes self-discipline and motivation as well as enhances the process of learning.  Other benefits include aesthetic awareness, cultural exposure, creativity, improved emotional expression, and appreciation of diversity.  We also know from first-hand experience that students who participate in the arts connect with each other better, have more self-confidence, and enjoy school and learning.

 

Allen School truly is an outstanding place of learning for everyone and I encourage you to become involved in any way that you can.  Opportunities for involvement include participating on the School Site Council, the English Language Advisory Committee, the District Advisory Committee, the Everyone a Reader program, Parent Patrol, or just volunteering some time to help at one of our events.  Communication is one of our top priorities, so please continue to check the website as it is updated frequently.

 

Finally, I am very much looking forward to getting to know each person in the Allen School Community.  Please feel free to stop by my office or give me a call when you have any concerns or comments.  I make an effort to return all phone calls as soon as possible. 

 

It’s going to be a terrific year!

 

Sincerely,

 

Toni Jones
Principal