Your Administration’s Thought

 “The student is the most important person in this school. Without students, there would be no need for this institution. Not a cold enrollment statistic, but a flesh and blood human being with feelings like our own. Not someone to be tolerated so that we can do our own thing; THEY ARE OUR THING! Not dependent on us; rather, we are dependent on them. Not an interruption of our work, but the purpose of it. We are not doing them a favor by serving them. They are doing us a favor by allowing us to do so.” The common vision of where we want our students to be is extremely important. It is our hope that you find yourselves in an environment that is conducive to growth that helps maximize your potential. Therefore, we will concentrate on the positive. If we think more about the obstacles than solutions to overcome them, we will not succeed. Your leadership style in your classroom is the most important factor in creating a positive classroom environment for your students. At Upchurch Elementary, we envision a strong team spirit where site management is a reality and opinions are valued. We believe that good decisions can be made when knowledge is sought from all staff members. We believe that all staff members are important and have knowledge. There can be no growth without risks and no progress made without mistakes. This may involve changing how we do things to build on what we currently do, resulting in a new approach. As administrators, we must encourage your growth and development and find ways to offer staff opportunities for such growth and development. As we do so, we encourage you to continue to do everything you are doing, but better, spend more time communicating with co-workers, serving on committees, and launching new projects. We must believe  wholeheartedly that we will make Upchurch Elementary a school on the move, a school to watch, and eventually a School of Excellence. We need to believe in one another, support each other with positive interactions, do away with gossip and negativity, build do not tear down,  keep communication lines open on all sides, ask questions when in doubt, be present and attentive, purposeful, and intentional, and take risks. Together, with all of us doing our part, we maximize our potential; thus, we are successful.