Hello Cottonwood Creek Elementary Families!  

My name is Drew Francis and it is with great excitement that I welcome you to the 2023-2024 school year.  This will be my 2nd year at COT, but  I have been in education for 27 years and have been fortunate to have been in various leadership roles over the last 19 years. I have been a teacher in the US, as well as an international stint in Monterrey, Mexico. I have also been an educational consultant, adjunct professor, and school principal. I hope to continue to bring some of those diverse experiences to Cottonwood Creek and support a school that inspires every student to think, to learn, to achieve, and to care.   

It is with great excitement that I share that I will be partnering with Lisa Most as the Assistant Principal at COT this year. Please say hello to Mrs. Most as you see her outside meeting and greeting.  She will also send out a Welcome Letter in the coming weeks to share more!  

Our current values established at Cottonwood Creek are the following:  

• Celebrate differences

• Authentic and relevant learning

• Perseverance, patience and relationships

• Collaborative learning 

• Physical and psychological safety

I feel very fortunate to be in education where we can have such a positive impact on so many lives every single day. My personal vision over my career has been to inspire students and staff to achieve more than they thought was even possible. In order to achieve that vision, I believe the following must take place: 

• Fully understand the diverse background and strengths of students, staff, and families 

• Create an atmosphere where students and staff are comfortable taking risks

• Attract, hire, and retain the very best educators

• Work tirelessly to remove roadblocks for staff and students

• Support a school that is full of joy, communicates regularly, and is professional 

• Inspire a school where students, staff, and families are proud to belong to the Cottonwood Creek Elementary School Family

On a personal note, my wife Jan and I live in Elizabeth, CO and we have three children; 22, 19, and 16. Our oldest son is a paramedic/firefighter, our middle daughter will be a sophomore at the  University of Wyoming, and our youngest son is a sophomore at Elizabeth HS.  My wife is also in the education field as a middle school teacher, so there is plenty of school talk at the dinner table. We moved to CO 18 years ago and we love it here.  We camp, bike, hike, and explore new places every chance we get.  

I look forward to meeting new families and reconnecting with returning families over the coming months. I look forward to partnering with you and your family as the Principal of the Cottonwood Creek Elementary School 

Sincerely,

Mr. Drew A.  Francis  -  Principal    Cottonwood Creek Elementary School

Office Manager - Joan Salinger - JSalinger@cherrycreekschools.org -  720-554-3203