Dear Caesar Rodney Countywide Program Students, Families, Staff, and Community,

I am honored to be the next CRCWP Principal, and I look forward to continuing working with students, staff, parents, and the Caesar Rodney and local community in developing and nurturing a community of care where students are safe, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.  CRCWP is unique in that our programs run from ages 2-21, and because of the time we spend together, we develop bonds with our students and families that extend into adulthood…..we know that families are such an integral component to their child’s education and support system!  I have had amazing opportunities to work in both public and private education in three different continents, and perhaps my greatest take-away from these educational experiences has been that families and educators everywhere  want their children to succeed and be happy, healthy, and prosperous.  As CRCWP Principal, I am committed to making every year an exceptional experience for our students, families, and staff.

I believe that:

• Students and staff thrive when they are in safe, inclusive environments where physical and mental well-being is assured. When someone walks into our buildings and classrooms, they should immediately feel welcomed and proud to be on the CRCWP team and part of the CR community.
• Instruction should be individualized and data-driven to meet the unique needs of our students and to prepare them to be active members of our community. We encourage authentic school, community- and work-based learning experiences.  Quality instruction occurs when teams grow through professional development and collaborative implementation of evidence-based best practices.  Teachers should feel supported to create learning environments for optimal student learning.
• As a team, it is our responsibility to empower students by giving them a voice and, at times, being their voice. For our students to be safe, it is extremely important to strengthen their communication.
• Effective collaboration between parents and the instructional team is vital in supporting the potential of our students. Research shows us that the single most impactful contribution to a child’s success is parent involvement!
• As a community, we need to embrace and appreciate diversity and learn from our differences. We must also open lines of communication among the entire team and encourage an open community forum where we truly listen to, respect, and value all ideas. This is accomplished by encouraging open-dialogue and informal and formal opportunities for discussion.
• We must value the input of all stakeholders, including students, families, teachers, educational support staff, and community partners. For our students to be successful, every team member needs to be involved in the entire educational process.  It is our goal that all students will be actively engaged in their communities, and we ensure that every student who graduates from our program is connected with an adult agency or has secured competitive or supportive employment!
• As a school and community, we need to appreciate and celebrate the hard work of our students, staff, families, and community partners. Great things are happening at CRCWPs, and we deserve to be recognized!

As an educator, it has been my pleasure to guide and nurture students to lead healthy, balanced, fulfilling, and prosperous lives and to have equitable opportunities and the respect they deserve from our community.  I am constantly amazed with the innovation, passion, and dedication of our staff.  As CRCWP Principal, my role is to inspire and challenge staff to constantly raise the bar for our students, families, staff, and community.  I ask for everyone’s continued support to build upon the incredible gains that we have made collectively at CRCWP.  We will continue to grow and open more doors for our students.  Together, we are CRCWP Strong! 

Thank you,

Tina Sander-Loftus, Ed.D.