- Griffith Elementary School
- Principal's Message
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Dear Parent and Guardians,
Welcome Griffith Families to the 2018-2019 School Year. My name is Annamarie Dowling-Garrott (Mrs. D-G) and I am very excited to be your new principal.
I want to give you a brief overview of my experience since I’m new to the Balsz Community. I was born and raised in Chicago, IL. I have been in education for over 20 years as a teacher and administrator in the Chicago-land area and just moved to Arizona last year. I have a strong passion and background working with students and families to persevere through adversity and strive for excellence, both in and out of the classroom. Two areas that I am very passionate about and will focus on this year are Student Achievement & School Climate.
In my 11 years as an administrator, being a creative thinker and a problem-solver, has contributed to seeing significant growth in Student Achievement. By nurturing the unique skills and abilities of all learners, we can assure that our students are empowered to be globally competitive and innovative thinkers who contribute to their community’s sustainability. I am dedicated to your children and your children’s teachers to be the Instructional Leader of Griffith Elementary. Your students deserve the best and I will strive to prepare and support the teachers so incredible teaching and learning will happen every day at Griffith. Each and every adult that works on this campus will obtain high expectations for each and every student on campus. We will ensure that every minute counts while we have your child through standards, data, and engagement.
The 2nd area that is extremely important to me is School Climate. I believe, “You can’t have a child’s mind until you have their heart.” This is the phrase that will drive our school climate and behavior plan to improve student-teacher relationships and overall student behavior. I will guarantee a safe and inclusive environment where we are all mindful of students’ social, emotional and intellectual well-being.
We are very excited to greet all of our students on the first day of school. School begins on Monday, August 6th. Gates open at 7:45 and breakfast begins at 8:15 a.m. Please note, all visitors MUST SIGN IN THE MAIN OFFICE with an I.D. prior to visiting with your child. This is for the safety of all students and staff. Instructional time for teachers and students is a top priority; therefore, phone calls or conferences with teachers may only be held before school, after school or on the teachers' plan if available.
I have always recognized the value of relationships and believe that strong community-school relationships are crucial to academic success. In the coming year, as we actively build trust, we know that with even more parent involvement, our school can offer the experiences that will make us an outstanding school. We appreciate your commitment that will help ensure every student will learn to their full potential in all classes. We are prepared to offer time and support as needed to make this a reality for all. We ask for your support and participation in this effort by sending your child to school every day, encouraging your child to read daily, communicating with your child’s teacher, monitoring homework and progress, and asking them to share what they learned each day at school.
We look forward to continuing the great work at Griffith and Together We Can G.R.O.W. Independent Learners. We hope you enjoy the final days of summer.
Principally yours,
Mrs. Annamarie Dowling-Garrott