Derek Arrowood

Hamilton Heights is extremely fortunate to have the Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation (HHEF). The Foundation was initially created as an opportunity to elevate the learning environment by raising funds to support learning across our campus. The local visionaries who founded the organization, many of whom still live and work in the community, certainly knew it…

This is Public Schools Week – a week designated to recognize and celebrate the invaluable role of our nation’s public schools. It’s also worthy of its own column. I consider it an honor and a privilege to lead in service to our children and our families in a district that has been helping to prepare…

In last Friday’s Department of Education Weekly Update from Dr. Katie Jenner, she shared several goals including a statewide literacy goal of 95% of third grade students demonstrating reading proficiency skills and passing IREAD-3 by 2027. Statistics show that students who pass the IREAD-3 assessment in third grade are roughly 35% more likely to graduate…

It’s hard to believe that we are just a week away from wrapping up the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year! Our first semester ends on Tuesday, December 20 with our Christmas break taking place Wednesday, December 21 through Monday, January 2, 2023. I commend our students, staff, and families for their work and…

Friday is our first synchronous (i.e., instruction delivered live and in real time to a student by the student’s teacher) e-Learning day. This is an at home virtual learning day for students. We plan to utilize synchronous e-Learning days for when inclement weather impacts our ability to have in-class instruction. A synchronous e-learning day allows…

Last Saturday, Hamilton Heights enjoyed hosting its first ever VEX Robotics Competition. The event, held at the Hamilton Heights Middle School, drew in some 40 teams from 30 different schools. It was nothing short of amazing! Energy, innovation, collaboration, teamwork, technical problem-solving, and pride filled the air. I’m pretty sure I was watching future scientists…

Every day I get to see our student’s curiosity sparked and dreams explored. I am in awe of the innovation, creativity, and passion I see among our staff who bring their best each day to inspire and engage students. A good example taking place this week is Future Huskies Week at the middle school. The…

October is National Principal’s Month, and it is with extraordinary pride that I share a shout out to our amazing principals: Julie Griffey and Ken Watson (HHES), Bret Bailey and Nicole Ridens (HHMS), and Jarrod Mason, Whitney Gray and Mitch Street (HHHS). Through their visionary leadership and tireless pursuit of success for each student, our…

Homecoming Week is among my favorite weeks of the year. The spirit days, athletic games, pep rally, homecoming parade, football game, and dance bring our Huskies together in the kind of energy, enthusiasm, and pride that can been seen and felt in every way throughout the campus. It represents one of the most fun weeks…

I want to thank you for your support and preparation which led to an outstanding start to the 2022-23 school year. Our educators and staff have been spending time developing relationships and laying the groundwork to engage, motivate, and help students on their learning journey throughout the year ahead. We continue to build upon our…