Principal's Welcome

Greetings Bulldogs!!

        I am honored and humbled.  I am also grateful to have the opportunity to connect with you and share my love of learning.  There are two things you need to know about me, I love learning and I love people.  Education is the perfect fit for me.  I am a mom of four children.  Their names are Adele, Molly, Violet, and Cash. My husband is the Director of Curriculum and Instructional Technology in Oxford.  We are raising our family in Oxford.  We spend our free time cherishing one another with intentional family and friend time.  Becoming a principal is a family decision and we are all in.  Romeo is now our second home.  We appreciate a community that has spirit and supports one another.  I was drawn to Romeo because it has heart. 

I have been in education for the past 18 years.  I received my Bachelors in Elementary Education and Language Arts Certification.  I started as a Kindergarten teacher.  I continued teaching in first and second grade.  I have a passion for teaching kids to inquire and become lifelong learners.  This passion grew into working closer with teachers which led me to receiving my Masters degree in Educational Leadership.  There I gained a skill set for collaborating, creating school wide expectations, and empowering students to take the lead.

I was then hired to become an Instructional Coach and International Baccalaureate Coordinator.  I was pulled out of the classroom and started a new role for the past eleven years in five elementary buildings and the Oxford Early Learning  Center.  In that role I guided and supported our teachers in best teaching practices in all content areas through modeling and collaborating.  I most recently switched gears to stretch myself far and wide and I became the Literacy Coach and International Baccalaureate Coordinator for Oxford Middle and High School guiding students 6th-12th  grade and teachers in literacy and curriculum instruction.

The secondary position also tapped into my knowledge and training in Restorative Practices and Listening Circles to support Oxford’s Three-Year Recovery Plan as well as my expertise in School Evaluations.  Supporting teachers emotionally and professionally has been a gift to me.  When our heart is well, our mind can learn.  Leading schools through successful evaluations is such a great way to celebrate and shine light on the great work our educators do every day.  I have also traveled far and wide to Italy, China, Finland, and Germany to visit and study some of the best teaching practices and schools in the world.  My exposure to classrooms worldwide has broadened my knowledge and expertise in classroom instruction, building success, and happy students.

I look forward to the opportunity of greeting you with a warm smile and shaking your hand the moment you walk through the doors.  I know how important it is to take incredibly good care of your children academically and emotionally while supporting you in this journey.  We need one another to be successful.  You know your child best.  We will learn from one another.

Today my heart is full. I am ready to embrace the learning curve ahead of me.  I kindly ask for your patience as I learn from you, your child, and the community. My experiences have helped prepare me for this honorable role.  Let’s make this year incredible! Go Bulldogs!

Grateful for you, Rita van Staveren