​I would like to thank everyone who is part of the Altadore community for such a warm welcome. It is hard to believe that it is only two weeks since my official start at this school. It has truly been an incredible beginning! It was immediately obvious to me that there is a warm and caring staff who work hard to provide exciting learning opportunities for our students, that the students are very proud of their school and the work that they do, and that parents are highly involved in enriching the education of their children. 
It is very obvious that there is a strong community here at Altadore and I am thrilled to be part of it. When I first met with staff, I shared some of my core beliefs and values about teaching and learning. I thought it would also be helpful to share them with the community as a whole - I know there are always many questions about what the new principal is about. It is my hope that with time, you will see these values reflected in my actions. In no particular order:
Student learning is at the core of everything we do,
Learning is as much for the adults as it is for the children,
Relationships are key and need to be fostered,
We all do our best. Students, teachers, staff, parents. No one wants to fail,
Every person deserves respect. Always,
We build from strength, * We accomplish when we work as a team,
Good communication is crucial,
I need to earn and maintain your trust,
Schools should be a happy place where we work hard and play hard to have fun,
Engagement is key – most of the time you get pit what you put in!
In short, I promise to listen to what you have to say – as individuals and as a group. I will treat you with respect. I will always explain the process we use to make decisions and the rationale behind them. I will be open and honest with you – as long as it maintains confidentiality. Decisions we make at the school will always be made with what is best for all our children in mind.
Thank you to the Altadore School Council for the flowers you sent as a welcome! I am looking forward to getting to know more about the school and working with all of you as we go forward.
Kelly Christopher – Principal​