She had tried public school, but she felt that it lacked the character building she sought for her children. Homeschooling wasn’t an option because her son needed occupational therapy and speech therapy, things she wasn’t qualified to do herself.
Windemere Park was new at the time and met the needs of her daughter, son, and herself as a volunteer. She eventually went from parent to an employee, starting in food service and moving to office administrator and her current position of registrar.
Now with more than 20 years at Windemere Park, she has become a mainstay at a school that has outperforming the district for 14 years.
“It has changed over the years, but I still say the Moral Focus and the values that we teach the kids is what I find to be the most beneficial,” she said. “I will stress with parents, we don’t just teach it, we expect to see it and we really care about the whole child. Education is not the most important thing, even though we’re a school. It’s incredibly important, but what good is that if they don’t feel safe, don’t feel loved, don’t feel cared about?”
The small, familial feel of Windemere Park was especially appealing to Gallimore and her family, one in which everyone knew each other regardless of the grade. And while the school has grown, Gallimore has helped maintained that warm, friendly atmosphere as a registrar by being a conduit of information for families and visitors.
That includes showing care for students, in particular the ones who need it most. Being there for them is something Gallimore truly enjoys and is a big reason why she has committed to Windemere Park for so long in so many aspects.
“I'm just want them to know they can always come into the office,” she said. “Our interaction with them is limited because we are not in the classroom, but no matter what’s going on out in the building, we let them know this is a safe place for them.”
Keep up the excellent work, Mrs. Gallimore!
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About Windemere Park Charter Academy
Windemere Park Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Lansing, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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