August 19, 2014

WELCOME BACK WALNUT GROVE FAMILIES!

It is with GREAT enthusiasm I welcome you back to Walnut Grove for the 2014/15 School Year!  We hope this letter finds you well rested, refreshed!

As we begin the school year, I want to take the opportunity to introduce myself and express my excitement in joining the Walnut Grove community.  It has been my honor and privilege to serve as a public school educator for twenty years in grades Kindergarten through Twelve.    Prior to coming to Walnut Grove, I worked in the Brentwood Union School District for five years as the Director of Student Services.  Prior to Brentwood, I was in the Fremont Unified School District as the Assistant Director of Student Services, and before that, I was the Principal at Henry Haight Elementary in Alameda.   In January of this year, I decided it was time to return to the school site so I could work more closely with students, staff, and families, and feel the magic of education! In May I was appointed the Principal at Walnut Grove!  I am thrilled to work in my community where I have lived for twenty years. I was raised in San Ramon, where I graduated from California High School.

We have been busy this summer hiring eleven new staff members:

Lisa Miller- Admin Assistant, Adrienne Herz- Health Clerk, Nubia Garcia- Custodian,    Rosemary Peterson- Kindergarten,  Annalisa Perazza- First Grade, Jennifer Bell- Second Grade, Andrea Olebe- Fourth Grade, and Jim Rodgers- Tech Specialist!  We are very excited to have our new people on board!   Please know that we will be hiring another custodian and 5th grade teacher this week! 

Mr. Mike, Ms. Nubia, and district office teams have spent countless hours preparing our school for teaching and learning, and we've done some redecorating!   Many of our classrooms have been updated with new technology, screens and projectors, and classroom additions.

Our PTA has been a busy group this summer, and online registration is set to roll out on August 20, 2014!  This is our first year with online registration and we are very excited to be green, as well as implementing efficient systems and practices for both staff and families.

It has been a pleasure to meet with many of you as we start the school year!  I so appreciate and value your involvement and participation, and know this is what makes the Walnut Grove Community a fantastic place to serve!

I am looking forward to working with you and our students as we begin this school year.   Please make sure to drop by and visit if you have questions or want to meet.

Thank you and welcome back!

Jan M. Steed

Principal, Walnut Grove Elementary School