THE AMBLER GAZETTE

Dear Parents and Communities,

It is with immense pleasure, gratitude, and a sense of optimism that I welcome all of you to the 2017-2018 school year. I would like to thank you for allowing us to support and commit to serving your students in the face of ever-increasing challenges. The demand to demonstrate evidence of progress through student achievement has never been greater. But with your dedication to our core values of caring, high expectations and “students first” disposition, I believe we are more than equal to whatever challenges may confront us. These core values will continue to guide our actions as we step into the new 2017-2018 school year.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

My goal as the Principal of Ambler Avenue School is to continue in my quest for systemic coherence in our professional practices at Ambler. I intend to be guided in this effort by Fulan’s four components of Coherence Framework. These include Focused Direction to Build Collective Purpose, Cultivating Collaborative Culture while clarifying individual and team roles, deepening learning to accelerate improvement and securing accountability from inside out. Fulan describes these components as the “Right Drivers” for developing coherence. Putting these “Right Drivers” into action will enhance our effort to transform Ambler into a better school for all students and for the community we serve. This is our shared responsibility that we should expect one another to embrace and be accountable to.

As a believer in the potential of growth-mindset, multiple intelligences and the concept of neurodiversity to impact student learning, I will continue to encourage the use of multimodal instructional strategies, the FIT Approach, student-strength model and the recognition of students’ efforts as integral parts of holistic and sound instructional practices. These approaches have been embedded into our instructional priorities plan and I encourage you to review the plan closely. Habits of Mind, the critical attributes of all achievers are only as relevant to the extent the adults in the school community cultivate these habits in students. I expect Habits of Mind to be embedded in your daily lessons. 

Once more, welcome to the 2017-2018 school year. I look forward to a year of record-setting in student achievement through our commitment to united effort and shared responsibility. Please know that it is truly an honor and a privilege to be called your Principal. It is with humility and great appreciation that I pledge to serve with you.

Sincerely,

Gregory W. Hooker