“An institution of learning where all students acquire and achieve academic excellence.”

Dear Parents,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you and share some information about my background.  I am Frederick L. Rivers, and I am honored to be the new Acting Principal of Gwynn Park Middle School.  I graduated from Tuskegee University with a degree in secondary education.  From there I was commissioned in the US Army as a Second Lieutenant.  Soon afterwards, I earned my masters degree in special education from The University of Kansas.  I am currently enrolled as a third year doctoral student at Bowie State University. I look forward to a great year of getting to know the families and students that make-up Gwynn Park Middle School. 

Gwynn Park Middle School has two assistant principals, Ms. R. Jamyta Reed and Mr. Donnell Kent. Mr. Kent is new to the Gwynn Park Middle School and Ms. Reed has several years of experience with the Gwynn Park Middle School Mighty Yellow Jackets.

I hope that you have had a pleasant and enjoyable summer break.  It is time to begin thinking about some of the challenges and experiences that await all students enrolled at Gwynn Park Middle School.  Multiple confirming sources of research indicate students who have a good start early in school, tend to graduate on time, are less likely to drop-out of high school, and tend to be more successful in high school.  Knowing the importance of a good start to middle school, we are planning to strongly focus our attention on all of our students.  Parents, we value and need your support and assistance in helping all of our students have a great year.  Here are some things you can do…

• Help your child stay organized and manage his/her time carefully.
• Encourage your child to join a club, team or activity.  Research indicates that participation in after-school activities has a positive effect on overall achievement and attitude toward school.
• Establish a regular work time for students to complete home work and study- there is a difference!
• See that your child attends school regularly.  Poor attendance is a key reason for failure.
• Contact your child’s teacher or counselor sooner rather than later if you have concerns.  Progress reports are issued at the mid-point of every quarter.

Sincerely,

Frederick L. Rivers, Acting Principal