The 2012-13 SLVHS faculty and staff, including the newest hire: Chelsie Osenga (SLVHS Class of 2000), pose for their portrait the day before welcoming students back for the beginning of the new term.
Monday was freshmen orientation, a task largely handled by upperclassmen and counselors but teachers and staff were on campus to ready classrooms and assist new principal Karen van Putten prepare for the first day of school, Tuesday.
Over 100 parents of freshmen and new students gathered in the MPR for coffee and snacks and to hear about the Athletic, Music and Drama boosters groups, The Cougar Club and other volunteer opportunities that support and enhance the students experience.
Later in the morning van Putten assembled her staff to watch a video she had produced. With Randy Newman singing "You've got a Friend in Me" hundreds of photos of the staff and their families enjoying their summer were projected. She followed that with a slide show of photos taken at Cowell's beach at last week's team building exercise where she had challenged them to face their fears of the unknown.
Calling them "an amazing, good looking and fun group" the diminutive and energetic rookie principal said "We're all here for the kids and I'm here for you."
Ms. van Putten begins her 19th year as an educator and first as a principal. The daughter of immigrant parents she said that she knows first hand how education is the "great equalizer".
The local SLV community has long supported our schools and we should be proud that we have such a stellar and dedicated group of educators. Good luck to them all.
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