August 7, 2017

Dear Claggett Creek Community,

I am excited to join the Claggett Creek family! As the father of four school-age children, I am well aware of the critical role that our schools play in shaping our children’s future and I am honored to be able to serve you as your principal.

I have been a middle school principal for the past six years in Salem and Beaverton and, prior to that, I served as an assistant principal, assessment specialist at the Oregon Department of Education, and as a math, science and literacy teacher in Beaverton and Salem.

In recent years, I have led the implementation of AVID school-wide, built a thriving Spanish Dual Language Program and led a school-wide “Future Ready” conversion. I also have a passion for developing community partnerships and I am looking forward to building these partnerships with our community. Most importantly, I am committed to supporting our students, teachers and parents to ensure that we meet the needs of all students — preparing each student for high school and future success.
My guiding principles include:

• Schools are the heart of our community.
• All students can achieve at high levels.
• All students deserve a rigorous and joyful educational experience.
• Relationships are the foundation of successful schools.

My personal vision of education aligns well with the great work that has been happening at Claggett Creek over the past several years, including the focus on AVID school-wide. I strongly support the AVID mission of closing the achievement gap by preparing ALL students for college readiness and success in a global society. The team at Claggett Creek has worked hard to live up to this mission and we have recently earned the distinction of being an AVID National Demonstration school. You can learn more about AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) at the following link. http://www.avid.org/
Although I am still settling in, I have been able to meet a few of you and spend time with some of our teachers and students. These interactions have affirmed that I have joined a strong community of great people doing amazing work. Over the next month, I will be assessing our existing parent and leadership groups to better understand what makes Claggett such a great school and to identify opportunities for growth. During this time, we will be seeking input from parents and community members and scheduling opportunities for you to get to know me.
We are truly fortunate to be part of a school culture that supports all children in reaching their full potential, embraces a growth model and acknowledges that we are better when we support each other personally and professionally. This will be a great year for our school.

This packet includes important information and key dates, so please take some time to read it carefully and to return the necessary information to our school office.

6th Grade Panther Camp on August 17th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Come and meet new classmates and teachers, get to know your way around your new school, learn how to open a locker, participate in fun games and activities and get a head start at Claggett Creek. This is for all incoming 6th grade students.

Taking Care of Business: Beginning August 22nd from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and running through the rest of the summer. Come to the office to turn in required forms, pre-order your yearbook, purchase Claggett Creek apparel, sign up for fall sports and more.

First Day of School for 6th Grade Students on Tuesday, September 5th. This is the first day of school for all incoming 6th grade students. This will be a day to meet your teachers and get to know the school and procedures without 7th and 8th grade students. Students will pick up their schedule, planner, and locker assignments in the Commons when they arrive at school.

First Day of School for all students grade 6-8 on Wednesday, September 6th. This is the first day of school for all students grade 6-8. This is a regular school day. Students will pick up their schedule, planner and locker assignment in the gym.

Picture Day on Thursday, September 7th during the school day. More information is attached.

Title I Annual Back to School Night on Thursday, September 14th from 5:00 pm 7:00 pm. Come and meet your student’s teachers, and visit classrooms. The office will also be open so you can take care of any outstanding business if you did not have time to stop by during the summer.

Thank you for all that you do for our school and for partnering with us to provide a world-class education for our students. I am looking forward to building strong, lasting and positive relationships with all of you.

Go Panthers!

Aaron Persons