Greetings Lake Grove Leopards!

It is with great enthusiasm and vim that I welcome you to “The Grove.” I am most excited and humbled to join this fantastic team of educators, staff, scholars and their parents that make up this awesome community.  Lake Grove’s reputation for warmth and “All hands on deck for scholars” is evident and deeply engrained.  I recently moved to Washington from Tennessee where I served for thirty years as a teacher, assistant principal and principal.  I am a proud third generation educator.  At family gatherings conversations at the dinner table were always centered on, “How to best help children.” So then, I was innately destined to do this work.

After meeting with Dr. Campbell and the FWPS team, I am invigorated by and anchored to the following three tenets:  1. Our scholars always come first.  2. Positivity is contagious and a priority.  3.  The Strategic Plan ensures equity and is our way of life.  In essence, every scholar, every day deserves a world-class quality education with a champion rooting for him or her.

I know each of us are here to make a difference in the lives of children. As we move forward with our instructional focus, I would like you to think about a quote that resonates with me. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” I know we will venture upon new trails filled with success and accomplishments as we work together to launch the best year ever for our scholars. We are trailblazers for children!

In closing, it is just like simple addition, parent input+ teacher input= scholar success! The assistant principal, Rachel Smith Mosely and I look forward to working with each of you.

In Partnership,

Yolanda Heidelberg

Principal