Dear Panthers,
I hope that you are enjoying your last few days of summer vacation with friends and loved ones
and that you have taken some time to disconnect and recharge! You have truly earned a summer
filled with relaxation, love, laughter, and rest. I do hope that you have had time to experience all
of that this summer. I wish I could make summer longer for all of us as I know we would surely
make good use of the time. As a side note several of us have been quite busy here at Vernon
planning, cleaning, and getting things ready for the start of the new school year. As our summer
quickly comes to a close we want you to know that we are quickly completing all our “beginning
of the year” tasks so that all of you have a smooth start to the school year.

I am extremely excited to head into the new school year and I am equally excited to be your new
principal. I have heard a lot of great things about the Vernon Middle School staff and I can’t wait
to meet and work with all of you! I believe in collaboration, doing what is best for kids, and
providing purposeful, meaningful, and strategic support to the entire school community for the
success of all. I am looking forward to developing and fostering collaborative working
relationships with all of you to continue and grow the successes you all have experienced here at
Vernon. In just a few days we will all be back on campus, doing what is best for kids, creating
engaging lessons that captivate our students, providing countless hours of encouragement and
support, and most of all creating a learning environment that is safe, welcoming, student
centered, and most of all FUN.

As we get ready for our students to enter our classrooms and begin to set new goals, embrace
new challenges, and create new memories, let's remember the power each of us has to make a
positive impact on our students' lives. I strongly believe in the Power of One. A theory that says
1 person has the ability to positively impact many lives. This is why I believe that at the heart of
our school community are the positive and supportive relationships we build with our students,
their families, and each other. Positive, supportive, and strong relationships are the foundation of
a supportive and nurturing environment where everyone can thrive and grow academically,
socially, and emotionally. In fact, research has shown that the classroom teacher is one of the
biggest indicators for students' achievement and success. This year, let us commit to the power of
1 by continuing to develop positive, supportive, and collaborative relationships that foster open
communication, mutual respect, and kindness with all our students, families, and colleagues. By
making this commitment we can continue to foster a school culture and climate that encourages
empathy, inspires our students and staff to reach their full potential, and ensures that all school
partners are welcomed and respected.

With all of that in mind, we continue to be charged with the tasks of accelerating learning and
ensuring that ALL students have access to grade level content preparing them for highschool and
beyond. As we continue our pivotal work with MTSS, PLCs, AVID School Wide, and PBIS I
am confident that we will continue to do great work for our students, school, and community.

Timothy Gallegos

School Principal