Dearest Village East Community,

I want to express what an honor it is to have been chosen to serve as the Principal of Village East Elementary School. I would like to acknowledge Mrs. Mia Robinson for her dedication and service to our community and congratulate her on her new position in CCSD.

Let me also take a moment to thank all of you. Change can be very difficult and unsettling, so thank you for your partnership and trust in me as we get to know one another and build a strong partnership. Let me begin by sharing more about myself and my grounding values. As your Principal I believe relationships matter. We must take care of ourselves and each other. This value is essential before we do any of our important work together. I have a passion for people and children, so I lead from the heart, with positivity and empathy. I value collaboration. I lead and live by the idea that, believe you can and you will! Whether that be to meet academic, social-emotional or behavioral goals or to accomplish our greatest dreams! My own parents believed in me, so fiercely. Their confidence in me led me to accomplish my own dreams and I hope to carry this as my legacy as I raise my own two sons and lead in CCSD. Last, I believe that all children deserve a high quality education. I will be a leader who collaborates to close equity and achievement gaps, providing opportunity for all, as we model our dedication to excellence!

I will look forward to honoring the history of our school to build upon the amazing work that has already been in place. I will be a learner, within our community of learners. And, as we continue to find areas for growth, I will show a commitment to engaging stakeholder voice and involvement. Here’s what you can expect from me: I will communicate with you often and I lead with honesty, integrity and professionalism. I will support you. I will listen to you. I will need to make decisions for our community and I will make them grounded in my values as well as our CCSD Core Values (growth mindset, equity, whole wellbeing and relationships). I will care deeply for our community. I will get to know you and your child(ren). I believe that if we use the collective genius of the group, whether that be student groups, teacher groups, staff, or parent groups we will actualize amazing solutions!

In support of our partnership, I ask you to hold onto our foundational mission that, “Village East is a united community that fosters togetherness, joy, equity and a culture for all.” I ask that we value all people, celebrate our differences and diversity to build meaningful relationships, show empathy and kindness with one another, and engage in collaboration in order to realize our vision!

Join me in sharing your Village East Pride, Go Eagles!

In service,

Mrs. Dana Tucker, Principal