Dear Highland Gardens Fierce Panther Family,

It is an honor and privilege to serve as Highland Gardens principal. I have had a life-long passion for working with children and feel very grateful to continue to serve as an educator and principal. I have 11 years of experience teaching in the elementary setting in all content areas. Additionally, I have 9.5 years of experience supporting teachers and staff as an instructional coach and as an assistant principal at the elementary school level. Last year was my first year serving as principal of “THE” Highland Gardens Elementary School, and it was an amazing experience! I’m truly honored to be part of such a historical community with caring, compassionate and hard-working school family and community partners.

First, I would like to welcome everyone to “THE” Gardens and SY22-23! Our mission is to make decisions in the best interest of all students by providing quality educational experiences in a safe and productive environment. I believe it takes a village to raise a child and we are truly a village of teachers, parents, and other community members working together to provide what is best for every child here at “THE” Gardens. As educators, we have the incredible opportunity and responsibility of not just teaching our children but also to make a positive impact in their lives daily. I believe in teaching the whole child. This means it is our responsibility to teach and to meet the needs of every child instructionally, socially and emotionally.

As your principal, I promise to keep students at the forefront of every decision we make as a school. We will strive to teach and provide students with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to have a successful and prosperous future. We will provide an equitable, engaging and diverse opportunity for all students. We will encourage and teach curiosity, problem solving, and instill a life-long love of learning. We will teach them to have a growth mindset and delve into real world scenarios that will equip them as they face challenges with confidence and perseverance. And most of all, every child will be valued and cared for.

I look forward to another AWESOME year. Go FIERCE PANTHERS!!

Principal Sides