Letter from the Principal

Hello Bennett Intermediate Tigers,

It is hard to believe that the first quarter of the school year has passed and we are now entering into the second quarter.  Bennett Intermediate School is  buzzing with student learning, teacher training and community involvement.  I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude in leading the school’s mission to provide a safe environment for a quality education with high expectations for success, ensuring students obtain the necessary skills to achieve their full potential and to think critically as responsible citizens in a complex, diverse, and ever-changing world.  I also wanted to provide the community with my experience and education that has brought me to this leadership position.

I began my educational career at the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. A job opportunity in Colorado supported my transfer to the University of Colorado, Denver where I finished my undergraduate degree in science, majoring in Biology and minoring in English and Chemistry. I started my college career as an English major; however, once I took my first college science class, I was fascinated by the content and switched majors. I completed my first master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at UCD and started my educational career as a high school science teacher. After teaching for 10 years, a principal recognized something in me as a leader and asked me to join his leadership team as a dean of students. As a dean, I completed a M. Ed (Administrative Leadership and Policy Studies) at UCD and obtained my principal license. I have been a licensed teacher and principal with the Colorado Department of Education for the past 28 years. I have worked in Adams 12, Denver, Douglas County and Aurora School Districts over my career; however, I have been most fulfilled in my career as a leader in Bennett School District because of the district’s rich traditions, powerful community support and involvement in student engagement and success.  My philosophy on leadership, within a school community, is that the leader’s primary responsibility is to orchestrate a community of learners and be the bridge to a child’s future providing a safe, nurturing, child-centered environment where students are actively investigating the world around them.  As a mother of two, one being a senior in the United States Air Force Academy and the other a sophomore in the engineering department at the University of Colorado, Denver, school support was paramount to their success in achieving their academic goals.

Bennett was exactly what I was looking for in a district to lead. I wanted to work with a rural community. I enjoy the people in this district and their positive approach to life. In observation, while working in Bennett, life is appreciated here and things like food on the table, working parents, a safe place to live and a school district that cares about the future of their young community members is not taken for granted. As a current employee of Bennett School District, I belong to a group of educators and leaders that want the best for every student and look for the talent and strength in each one. Parents and guardians, as well as the Bennett community, are incredibly supportive of the school’s efforts to guide all students toward learning opportunities. I am proud to be a Bennett Tiger and am honored to transcend my role as the leader of a classroom to a leader of the Bennett Intermediate School.

Grateful,

Terry Ray