While centered on the joy of reading and cultivating a love of books, Principal Jeremiah Whalen said another big benefit is making important connections with families.
“Our goal is to create a sense of community amongst staff, students and parents,” he said. “We do this by centering ourselves on things that matter.”
Since opening in 2023, Sky Ranch has hosted parent resource nights, bingo parties, and other themed activity nights; but this night was time to focus on reading.
“Seeing the joy in our students was truly the highlight of the night,” Dean of Lower Elementary Melissa Lawver said. “A group of kindergarten friends were beaming as they excitedly shared their book and craft with me. Parents and students loved visiting different classrooms and meeting new teachers. In one room, students were laughing out loud at the story and completely engaged—it was such a fun, memorable event for everyone who attended.”
That important engagement is one of the reasons Sky Ranch is ranked one of the top two schools in the district based on academic performance. Whalen said these events show families that the school’s staff truly care about the students.
“The staff that attended were not paid extra. There was no incentive; they came because they are invested in students and Sky Ranch.
“We know a parent's time is valuable, so we do our best to provide excellent experiences if we are going to ask families to come in after hours. Everything we do is aimed at building the culture we want to see at Sky Ranch.”
About Sky Ranch Academy
Visit Sky Ranch Academy's blog to read more stories like this.