Read Mrs. Core's Welcome Back to School Message!

August 20, 2024

Dear Mandela School Families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! We are excited to embark on another fantastic year of learning and growth at Nelson Mandela Elementary School. This year's theme is "Teach, Hustle, Inspire," we are committed to living this out daily in our classrooms, hallways, and community.

At our recent kickoff event, our keynote speaker, Dr. Shaun Woodly, inspired the Mandela Campus with a powerful message. He challenged us to teach (unlocking intellectual treasures) as if our lives depended on it, to plan intentionally, and to build relationships so that our scholars know they are cared for, supported, and feel psychologically safe. He emphasized that our hustle (can’t stop learning and we won’t stop learning)—our drive to keep learning and growing—applies to our scholars and our entire team. Most importantly, he reminded us to be inspired by the power of spreading love and light throughout our building and beyond.

We are excited to share our new Strategic Plan for the next three years: Holistic Team, Holistic Family, and Holistic Scholar. This plan, which we have developed with your scholar's best interests at heart, sets specific, reasonable, and measurable goals to ensure our school community thrives. Once the plan is finalized, we will share it with you on our Mandela website, keeping you informed and involved in our journey.

As always, we aim to support our scholars in growing academically, socially, physically, and mentally. But we recognize that we can't do it alone. Your engagement and involvement are crucial. An essential part is ensuring that your scholar is on time and at school daily. When scholars miss school or arrive late, they miss critical instruction, impacting their growth and progress. Your role in this cannot be overstated, and we are grateful for your support.

We are deeply grateful to each and every one of the families who consistently honor the commitment made when your scholar first started at Mandela. Your support is not just essential, it is the backbone of our success. We recognize and appreciate the sacrifices you make to ensure your scholar's education, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Let's work together to make the 2024-2025 school year our best. Keep our theme close to your heart: Teach, Hustle, and Inspire.

Thank you for being a part of the Mandela School community! 

With gratitude,