Principals' Message
September - 2007
by Rahn VanderHamm
"Every student over the bar!" If a school can be called to one identifying purpose, this would be my choice for Chapman (I borrowed it from a now famous educator named Richard Dufour). Every child has a bar, one of achievement or of need, over which they need assistance to vault, jump or hurdle. All children have basic necessities; love, nurture, food, clothing, shelter, medical attention. For success in life, students need foundations; academics, social and moral behavior, perseverance, mentoring, etc. Some students need an extra push to bring what is strong or good in them to a point of excellence. Some students require assistance and intervention for low academic (among other types of ) performance. Northwest Public Schools has set the academic bar high. We want to be about the purpose of getting children over that bar, and assisting in the other areas (or bars) which impede their accomplishments.
I embark upon my seventh year as Principal at Chapman School. A consistent question I have asked of myself as an educator is whether I would be willing to place my own children in the schools I have taught / lead. Chapman is definitely a school I would say is on the move, one to which I would entrust my own children. In a district that exudes excellence, Chapman retains a staff dedicated to children's success.
It is my belief that Chapman will continue to work hard to meet and exceed the marks and standards of excellence. I remain sincerely impressed by the staff members' expectations, dedication, professionalism, compassion and tenacity. In a school that seeks the best for its youth, among students hungry to learn, I invite you to work with us to set the bar high both at home and school. Lets all create a vision of Chapman that will characterize the steps of our school in the oncoming decades. GO CHAPMAN EAGLES>
