Greetings Parents and Guardians,

     Welcome to the 2012 – 2013 school year. My name is Mr. William J. Kelly; I am the newly selected Principal here at High Bridge Elementary School. I am extremely excited about this opportunity to join the High Bridge family. As the former Assistant Principal of Samuel Ogle Middle School, I am delighted to have the opportunity to continue to serve the students and families of the Bowie community. Along side me will be a seasoned Assistant Principal, Mrs. Camille McLaughlin. As we embark upon the 2012 – 2013 school year, I welcome you to a year of new beginnings and academic excellence.

     Since my arrival, I have worked closely with members of the School Leadership Team to learn about the High Bridge Elementary School community and the collective vision and mission of the school. As Principal, I am excited about continuing the home-school partnership established by Mr. Charles Eller and Ms. Bessie Reynolds.  I plan to maintain a culture of transparency, respect, and collaboration. Our doors are open to parents, community volunteers, and business partners daily. We understand that a child’s best advocate is their parent/guardian and therefore invite parents to visit classrooms, and volunteer in various capacities throughout the school. Teachers and parents are expected to maintain open lines of communication regarding school-wide procedures, grading policies, and curriculum standards. In addition, classroom expectations and routines, assignments, and grades will be the topic of ongoing conversations to ensure no student falls through the cracks and is always on an action plan for improvement.

     On August 7, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., in the Media Center, I will have my first of two Meet and Greet sessions. The second will take place on August 16, 2012 at 10:00a.m., and will be held in conjunction with Kindergarten / New Student Orientation.

     In closing, I look forward to our first meeting and making our students academic trailblazers in our district, state, nation, and the world.

Sincerely,

William. J. KellyPrincipal