Letter to parents from our principal, Tysie McDowell-Ray

Dear Parents,

There’s no place like home! It is an honor to be back full-time at Gordon Parks School. Over the past ten years, I’ve had the opportunity to work at our wonderful school as a classroom teacher, an educational consultant, a volunteer, a mentor, and a substitute teacher. From all angles, this is truly the place to be.

We want your child to be happy and successful and we believe you play a key role. I’m thrilled to announce our new Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), where parents can work closely with Gordon Parks staff in creating the best academic environment possible for our school. Please contact the office if you are interested in volunteering your time or talent to PAC.

This will be an exciting year for curriculum and instruction. We have a new hands-on science curriculum that encourages exploration and we will continue the use of Balanced Literacy for communication arts. Another focus this year will be integrating the visual and performing arts into the classroom. Our teachers will have a variety of strategies to make learning come alive for your child.

Please share with your child’s teacher any information regarding his or her special needs that will help us better serve your family. We believe that communication among parents, students, and teachers is critical in assuring student success.

Thank you for choosing Gordon Parks School. I look forward to working with your family.

Sincerely,