Greetings Stratford Country,
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as Stratford STEM Magnet Middle School’s executive principal. I am here to serve my Stratford Family. Here is the What, How and Why of Stratford STEM Magnet Middle School.
What?
As your principal, I ensure that students’ well-being and success will be at the forefront of every decision we make as a school. We will strive to provide an environment that supports your child’s (our student) social, emotional and academic needs. Our goal is to develop the 21st Century Skills in all of our students in order that they might be prepared for the real-world experiences to come.
How?
Stratford will do this by hiring a caring, loving, educated and talented staff. We will seek to place your children in classrooms of life-long learners who model the desired expectation for the students entering our doors. Professional development will be provided to enrich the ability and methods the teachers/staff use to engage your child daily in the state required learning. Our teachers will use and keep the Campus Portal updated so that you can see real-time class and assignment grades, homework, test scores, upcoming due dates, attendance information, and discipline incidents. Content teachers will also use Schoology as their learning management system and provide access to parents and students. Administrators will be visible in the classrooms, lunchrooms, hallways and everywhere we are needed to ensure: the safety and well-being of our students, rigorous learning opportunities are taking place in the classroom daily, and healthy relationships exist between students and staff.
Please understand we can’t do this without your help! WE need you to support the school’s rules (behavior, dress code and cell phone) and make plans to attend school events. WE need you to ensure that your child is at school at least 95% of the year (which means no more than nine absences in a year). If your child is absent, ensure that they log into Schoology to complete missed tasks for the day and return to school ready to learn with a note to explain their absence. WE need you to ensure that your child completes the daily tasks assigned by their teachers. You can do that by checking the Campus Portal to stay abreast of real-time class and assignment grades, homework, test scores, upcoming due dates, attendance information, discipline incidents and by corresponding with your child’s teacher through email or phone when there is a concern/question. Last, send them to school every morning with a positive mindset. They need to know and hear from you that they are unique and special individuals with the opportunity to learn and be apart of the change that they desire in the world. In return, we will send them home letting them know that they are loved and there is nothing, absolutely nothing, they can do about it.
Why?
Our children are the greatest asset that we have. WE have the power to shape and mold the future. As a school, we have the ability to impart knowledge to those whom we seek to serve daily as they enter our doors. We will and we must give them the opportunity to choose their individual pathways at the end of their K-12 journey. Whether that be college, trade-school, military, entrepreneurship, or straight into the work-force, we have an obligation to give them the tools needed to be viable citizens of the society in which we all must reside and which they will one day govern and lead.
I am looking forward to an amazing year at Stratford! Now that you know the What, the How and the Why, Let’s Go Spartans!
Your Proud Principal,
Dr. Kimberly Osborne