Principal's Letter

Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians, Welcome to May! It is official "Spring Fever" has hit the Dragons. Thanks in advance for your ongoing support at home as we move through the remaining weeks of school. Please provide gentle reminders to your children that the Pennekamp Staff will continue to expect all students to demonstrate their best scholarly work and model their best behavior....

Dear Pennekamp Parents/Guardians, Service to our community, world, and planet are core beliefs at Pennekamp School and once again two 4th grade Dragons have stepped up and organized a service-learning project to benefit the March of Dimes and UNICEF. The March of Dimes funds research and programs across local and global communities to support babies to live and thrive in good health. UNICEF's...

Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians, Our primary classrooms had surprise visits last week from leprechauns! Our youngest students built traps, locked their classroom doors, and wrote kind notes pleading with them to not bring their mischievous escapades to Pennekamp School. However, they managed to stop by several times on several different days. Their sneaky visits occur each year around March...

Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians,   On Friday afternoon, we held our FIRST Pennekamp farmer's market this year and it was phenomenal! Delicious organic vegetables were harvested by our students and lovingly given to others (small donations to sustain the garden were happily accepted). Turnips, radishes, carrots, lettuce, and assorted greens were all the rage. The farmer's market was...

Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians, Pennekamp students and families continue to celebrate their love for reading and writing by devoting an entire month to literacy at school and home. This week, Dragons will be mesmerized by the presentations of authentic authors on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thank you PTA for sponsoring and organizing this unique experience for our learners. During lunch,...

Dear Pennekamp Parents/Guardians, Thank you, thank you, for your attendance at the Community Matters sponsored parent communication meeting held last Thursday evening. Your questions and comments were heartfelt and insightful. I hope that you have already engaged in a few of the communication strategies discussed by the presenter with your children. I thought the evening was wonderful. Your...

Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians,   The Pennekamp Staff strives to provide a nurturing, healthy, and safe environment for all students.  At the beginning of each New Year, it is important to clarify expectations and polices related to both student safety and maintaining a positive school climate.     Safety policies at Pennekamp include monthly drills, such as fire,...

Dear Pennekamp Families,   It's difficult to believe that 2011 is quickly coming to an end, however, this special time does provide us opportunities to offer thanks to those that make a difference in our lives.  I am thankful every day that I am a member of our learning community. The Pennekamp School staff is very thankful for your support and for your wonderful children.  Your...

Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians, I hope that your Thanksgiving holiday was filled with fond memories of family, friends, and community. Whether your family woke at dawn to prepare your holiday meal, baked your grandmother's famous pumpkin pie, served food at a local mission, or enjoyed a great family book, your family actions leave indelible imprints in the minds and hearts of your children...

From The Principal   Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians,   On any given week at Pennekamp School, you can walk into a unique learning environment and hear comments such as, "That was so cool!", "I never knew that hermit crabs and Betta fish were so similar.", or "How did you get that type of reaction with those two materials!" These are...

Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians,   Things are humming along at Pennekamp and it is hard to believe that we are just about to complete the second month of school. Over the past three months, I have had numerous conversations with students, parents, and staff members and I have enjoyed each one. These chats have allowed me to get to know each of you better, to understand your concerns,...

Dear Pennekamp Parents/Guardians, I hope your extended weekend was wonderful and you enjoyed special moments with your children. On Friday, Pennekamp teachers spent a full day delving into student learning. We looked extensively at student data and best practices to enrich learning through for the use of technology in the classroom. I am so impressed by the teaching staff's dedication, passion,...

Dear Pennekamp Parents and Guardians,   Welcome to the first 5 day week of the new school year. Thanks for sharing your wonderful children with our Pennekamp staff each day! I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to spend the day with them. The smiles, questions, and "a-ha" moments of learning are observed throughout the entire campus.   Staff, PTA, School Site Council...