I hope that your family and in particular, your student(s) are getting ready to start a new school year.  I am delighted to be part of this amazing Ballou community of learners.   I welcome and value our collective  positive energy and dedication to the Bruin Ways of Persistence, Respect, Integrity, Determination and Empathy.  

All signs point to a wonderfully productive year.  Our highly skilled and devoted staff are planning and preparing engaging, rigorous lessons.  Our enthusiastic office team is preparing to open wide our doors on August 22. Our hard working and conscientious custodians have spent the entire summer thoroughly cleaning the facility.  And, our much appreciated- PTA is gearing up to welcome families, provide volunteer opportunities, and offer events and programs.  We are indeed a vibrant, thriving, caring community with the common goals of nurturing responsible, caring students and promoting college and career going learning for all students. 

New Staff
Each year brings positive change.  This includes the our new teachers.  Mrs. Casias is joining our 7th grade English team, Mrs. Williams will be our new Health teacher,  Ms. Walker joins the 9th grade Science Team, Ms. Perkowsky will be our lead DHH teacher, Ms. Lehmann will serve both Ballou and Stahl as our ELL teacher, and Ms. Klinger is our new counselor (Last names A-L).  In addition we have several new support staff and a new assistant principal, Mr. Sam Sharpe.   We are fortunate to be adding these amazing people to the Ballou family.

Facilities Update
If you have driven past our school this summer, you may have noticed the extensive construction project that connect Ballou and the new Firgrove site.  This project will impact our parking lots and drop off and student walking spaces and lanes!  All Ballou and Firgrove staff will park in front of Ballou.  Ballou drop off is limited to the Main Parking loop or the small loop under the reader board.   Thank you for your patience and extra caution in the construction zones. 

In addition to construction, we have added additional surveillance cameras in our court yard and exterior entries.  Installation of these cameras will increase our campus safety.  We will continue to require visitors to buzz in to the main doors after school starts.  Please be ready to give our office staff your name and purpose of your visit prior to being buzzed in.  As we don't know many of you, we may ask for identification.  

Student Course Placement
A great deal of time, effort and thought has gone into the process of our master schedule.  We do our best to place students in courses they selected last spring and making staffing decisions based on those selections.  However, in some cases, conflicts may limit student choice.   It will not be uncommon for students to be in classes of 38 students.

Thank you for preparing your student(s) to return to school with a positive attitude.  I eagerly look forward to greeting students and families on the August 23 Prep day and our September 4th Back to School Open House.    Please stop by and say hello.  Together, I know we will make this school year one of growth and achievement for all children.