Dear Centerra Mirage Community,

I am incredibly grateful and excited to be joining the Centerra Mirage family for the 2024-2025 school year. It is clear that this school and community have ambitious goals for the students, and I am excited to be a part of the culture of making school a place that is meaningful and joyful for students of all backgrounds and interests. Given my love for math and science, I am particularly thrilled to learn about the ways our STEM Academy is already thriving and to continue developing and pushing STEM opportunities, programs, and partnerships for students.

First and foremost, it is essential that I share my unwavering commitment to strong instructional practices in the classrooms on our campus. From our teachers who just finished obtaining their teaching degrees in the spring to our veteran teachers who opened the school 20 years ago, this is a very special staff; and one of our top priorities will be providing meaningful, rigorous instruction that makes learning relevant to ALL of our learners. We will monitor our success using assessment data and adjust our groupings, interventions, and strategies accordingly to promote the most growth for our students. Additionally, I am excited to take my previous experience working at the high school level to ensure we are equipping our students for success when they leave our doors to flourish at the secondary level.

In addition to ensuring that all students are making big leaps forward in both their academic and personal goals, one area of focus for us this year will be more and deeper opportunities to engage our families and community. We are excited to continue the wonderful events such as STEM nights and the talent show, and a team of teachers, leaders, and administrators has already brainstormed new events we hope to introduce this year and for many years to come. Please be on the lookout for more information about how you can support us in these events; one of our goals as a leadership team is to build our school’s capacity for field trips, resources, and events with the development of a strong PTO!

Finally, I want to communicate how sincerely I value the relationships and partnerships I, as a leader, have with parents and families; and I hope you do not hesitate to call, email, or schedule a visit if you have any questions or concerns. Both Ms. Johnson and I are deeply committed to learning how we can continue building on the many ways Centerra is excelling, and we will be much more successful with your genuine feedback and support. 

Thank you for your trust and support. It’s going to be a great year. Go Mustangs!

Olivia Allpress
Principal