DearParentsandCommunityofHighgate,

IwouldliketotakethisopportunitytointroducemyselfasyourinterimprincipalatHighgateSchoolforthe201516
schoolyear.Iwouldalsoliketosharesomeimportantinformationabouttheupcomingschoolyear.

IamPatrickHartnett.IamaresidentofFairfield,Vermont.IearnedmyundergraduateandgraduatedegreesatThe
UniversityofVermontandTheUniversityofNorthCarolinaatChapelHillrespectively.Ihavebeenworkingin
educationsince1984.Ihavebeenateacherfor16yearsandanadministratorfor12years.Ihavetaughtin
Connecticut,NorthCarolina,ontheNavajoReservationinArizona,andinVermont.IammarriedtoDr.LauraBellstrom
ofFranklinCountyPediatrics.Wehavetwochildren.Zach,isarecentgraduateofColbyCollegeinMaine,and
Connor,willbeasophomoreatColoradoCollegethisyear.Ialsohavehadthegoodfortunetobeastayathomedad
ontwooccasionswhenourboyswerenewborns.

Asmanyofyoumayknow,MarcelChoquetteleftHighgateSchooltoacceptapositionasprincipalinMilton.Iwas
hiredlateinJulyandbeganworkonAugust3rd.IrecognizethatbeginningaprincipalshipinearlyAugustislate,butI
willbedoingmyverybesttogetyouinformationasquicklyaspossible.IamworkingcloselywithSuperintendentWin
Goodrich,AssistantPrincipalKarenCasavant,andourschoolleadershipteamtomakedecisionsaswebeginthe
schoolyear.Iwilltrytocapturethemostimportantinformationforyouhereinthisletter.

FirstDayofSchool:Tuesday,August25thforall1st6thgradestudents.Thefirsthalfdayofschoolfor
KindergartenstudentsisMonday,August31st

SchoolCalendar:TheSchoolCalendarispostedonourschoolwebpageat:www.highgateschool.orgPlease
bepatientwithusasweremodeltheoldwebpage.

School/BusTimeChanges:Theschooldaystillbeginsat8:00a.m.thisyear.Theschooldaynowendsat
2:45.Thisisanadjustmentmadetoaccommodatechangesinthehighschoolschedulethatwillimpactthe
transportationtimesfortheentiredistrict.Parentscanexpecttheirchildrentobehomeapproximately30
minutesearlierthanlastyear.

WelcomeBackBarbecue:IamworkingwiththeHighgatePTKOtomergetheannualbarbecuewiththe
annualOpenHouselaterinSeptember.Iwouldliketousetheopenhouse/barbecuetomeetparents,
distributenewhandbooks,meetnewstaff,andsharewithparentsotherimportantschoolinformation.

Newstaffmembers:JenniferWhitby,KindergartenTeacher,EricaFuller,fourthgradeteacher,Michelle
Melhuish,SpeechLanguagePathologist,AlisonNarkewicz&AngelaGonyea,EarlyEducationTeachers,
JessicaPaquette,AdministrativeAssistant/Registrar,PattyWhittemore&AmberLaFar,Paraeducators

Intheimmediatefuture,Iwillbeusingourwebsite,FrontPorchForum,theSt.AlbansMessenger,andstudentshome
toschoolfolderstocommunicatenecessaryandimportantinformationtoyou.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasecall
meatschool.

Respectfully,

PatrickHartnett
InterimPrincipal,HighgateElementary
(802)8684170