A Letter from Our President

What a year this has been! We stand on the precipice of change, change in the landscape of how we work, learn, play and grow. As such, we are forced to adapt and to stretch our imagination, creativity and flexibility so that we will be stronger still. It is with that spirit in mind that I say that I am deeply humbled and honored to have been elected as President of the Belmont Ridge Middle School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), where my daughter, Makaiyla, will be starting her middle school journey as a sixth grader.

I feel fortunate to serve under the leadership of Principal Katie Johnson, who has been working tirelessly, collaborating with staff, teachers and the PTO to ensure that our Riverhawks will be immersed in engaging lessons through a stimulating digital landscape. It makes me want to chant, “We are Riverhawk strong and together we rise!”

As the new PTO President, I am supported by a dedicated and industrious group of parents that make up the PTO Board. With their support, I am tasked with managing a six-figure budget derived mainly from parent and community donations to support programs such as STEM activities, musicals, dances, spirit days, BASAP, technology improvements and the day-to-day operations of the PTO. Undoubtably, our activities will take on a somewhat different look this year, but I assure you, they will be no less relevant and effective.

With this charge in mind, I am reminded that great leaders don’t set out to be a leader, they set out to make a difference. It is never about the role, it is about the goal. My goal is to bring parents, teachers and administrators together in a spirit of cooperation to tackle the challenges of our current landscape, because our students are the ultimate beneficiaries of our efforts. We stand united on our common goal to see our students thrive and succeed! Stay tuned for news and updates. #BelmontStrong!