9 Weeks Down Many More To Look Forward To

By: Derek Arrowood

It’s hard to believe the first nine weeks are behind us and we are into the second nine weeks of the 2023-24 school year. I am encouraged by the enthusiasm, progress, and focus of our students on their academic goals. It is equally rewarding to see our educators and staff helping them get there by cultivating genuine, trusting relationships and structuring challenging, engaging, and supportive classroom learning environments. I expect this momentum will continue through the end of the year.

October marks the celebration of an exceptional group of leaders in our community – our school principals. These dedicated individuals play a pivotal role in shaping our students’ futures and the trajectory of our education system. This month-long celebration is an opportunity to recognize and thank our principals for their unwavering dedication, exceptional leadership, and remarkable impact on student success. It is with extraordinary pride and gratitude that I share a shout out to this talented group of administrators, Julie Griffey and Ken Watson (HHES), Bret Bailey and Jill Landers (HHMS) and Jarrod Mason, Whitney Gray, and Mitch Street (HHHS). Their dedication to their profession, this district, and most importantly, to the children in our classrooms, is commendable and deeply valued. Thank you!

This is National School Bus Safety Week. I want to remind students, parents, teachers, and the community to keep school bus safety in mind especially in the fall and winter months when students are getting on and off the bus in the dark. I also wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to thank our elite team of school bus drivers who travel thousands of miles, often in adverse weather conditions and through unpredictable traffic, to transport our most precious cargo to and from school and school-sanctioned events. Their commitment, hard work, and vigilance to the students entrusted to our care is valued, appreciated, and noticed. I invite our families to join us in giving our drivers a compliment for a job well done!

Hamilton Heights recently started an All Pro Dads Chapter at the elementary and middle schools. Aaron Galvin, a Heights’ parent and 4th/5th grade girls’ basketball coach, is leading the newly formed chapters as a team captain. The purpose of the groups is to provide an opportunity where kids and dads, grandfathers, and/or male role models engage in meaningful conversations and activities centered around a character-based curriculum. These groups meet monthly. The next meeting for the middle school students is Friday, October 27 beginning at 7:00 a.m. Click here to learn more and/or to RSVP. The first meeting for elementary students is set for 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 9. Check it out!

For a ghoulish good time, Hamilton Heights High School FFA is hosting its first Trunk or Treat on Monday, October 30 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hamilton Heights High School parking lot.

We value and cherish the relationship and partnership with the parents and guardians of the 2,234 K-12 students we proudly serve. The impact is transformative when we work in tandem to invest in a child’s life. The supportive synergy between school and families helps create a positive atmosphere for students to engage wholeheartedly in their educational journey. #WeAreHuskies

– Dr. Derek Arrowood is the Superintendent of the Hamilton Heights School Corporation.