Dear Hutchings Community,
We're back! It's been a fun first week back at Hutchings. Coming back to school always feels great to me, like getting together with a great old friend. Hutchings is a place filled with joy, with belonging, and with fun. From the moment I arrived four years ago, I have been impressed by just how consistently and predictably Hutchings delivers joy to the people who walk through its doors.
And while Hutchings is familiar, consistent, and dependable, today I'm reflecting on the transformations I see. The students who were kindergarteners in my first year have moved upstairs to third grade classrooms! That feels like a milestone to me. Since it's my fourth year, this is the first group of kindergarteners I've ever seen make the move up!
And some massive transformations have come in staff members shifting to new roles. If you came to Open House, you may have been surprised to see some very familiar faces in unfamiliar places! Many of our teachers have changed classrooms and grade levels this year.
From my own experience, change can feel scary at first. I find comfort in what is familiar, and the unknown can make me worry and feel anxious. A transformation sometimes means leaning into the unknown. Transformations involve an element of risk.
But we know the value of risk-taking at Hutchings. We ask our students to take risks in their learning everyday. And as a staff, we believe in risks as an essential for our own growth, our own transformations. The manager of my favorite soccer team often says, "...if you don't take a risk, you also take a risk." I don't ever want to stop growing and improving, so that rings true to me.
The Hutchings that I know and love consistently delivers joy. It has been built on the contributions of many great people- students, staff, and families. We are all standing on the shoulders of others who showed us exactly how a great elementary school should work. We are happy to inherit it and add to it, ensuring Hutchings continues to deliver joy for years to come.
Get ready for a magical, wonderful school year. I'm glad we've finally started.
Sincerely,
Ben Malecki
Principal