Welcome to South St. Marys Street Elementary School. I am sure that you will find our school to be a warm, caring, and structured place of learning for children. We are proud of the academic program we offer our students, and we look to parents and community residents as partners in the educational process.
The philosophy of our school is based on sound educational practice and research, the core of which is the essentials of effective schools.
First and foremost, Our Mission Statement:
OUR MISSION IS TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS IN A SAFE, STRUCTURED, AND ORDERLY ENVIRONMENT SO THAT THEIR PERFORMANCE IS A CREDIT TO THEMSELVES AND TO OUR SOCIETY.
In addition to a solid and clearly understood mission statement, the following characteristics of effective schools are existing in our nation’s best schools. We strive to possess these characteristics here as well, and they are as follows:
Meet the Principal:
Robert Grumley was born in Ridgway, Pennslyvania and raised and educated in nearby Johnsonburg. His father Jim worked at the local mill and his mother Pat worked at the hospital pharmacy.
Education was always valued in the Grumley household, with an emphasis on ‘going to college’ when we grew up. Little did we know then that I would grow up to be a principal who is married to a teacher, that my sister would grow up to be a teacher who is married to a principal, and that my brother would also become a teacher who is married to a teacher. Bottom line, we are all in education, and I think our parents are proud.
Graduating from Johnsonburg Area High School in 1973, I attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (then Edinboro ‘State College’). I graduated in December of 1976 and was fortunate to be employed as a teacher in the Millcreek School District in Erie, PA in January of 1977.
I moved to Florida in June of 1977 and was soon employed as a teacher in the Lee County School District in sunny southwest Florida. I taught first and fourth grades for four years. During those years, I worked to attain a Master’s Degree in ‘Administration and Supervision of Modern Educational Systems’ from Nova University in Ft. Lauderdale.
In 1981, I became assistant principal in one of the largest elementary schools in Lee County, with over 1,200 students. It was an exciting learning experience for me to move into a brand new school. Four years later, in 1985, I was offered my first principalship, which was another tremendous learning experience in that it was an inner-city school serving a population of a great number of at-risk students. Clearly, this was a most exciting opportunity and challenge for me in my first year as principal. The most trying, the most rewarding, and the most satisfying experience for me was working the inner-city, as I know we had the opportunity there to truly make a difference in the lives and future of our those students we served.
In 1989, I decided to move back to Pennsylvania to get close to family once again. I was named principal of Johnsonburg Area Elementary School, worked there for six years with the wonderful hometown folks – serving children of many of my high school classmates. It was then that I decided to return to St. Bonaventure University to earn my Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility.
In 1995, while vacationing in Florida, I was informed of my transfer from the elementary school to the position of high school principal. WOW! Was this a new challenge! I enjoyed the high school students and the change that working in a high school setting brought to me. During my tenure at Johnsonburg Area High School, perhaps the biggest undertaking was the 9 million-dollar building renovation project. JHS is now one truly beautiful and effective high school.
St. Marys Area School District administrators began to contact me during the summer of 1999, and somehow convinced me that a change would be good for me. I would enjoy the challenge of a meeting new teachers, staff members, and students, as well as the experience of working in a larger comprehensive high school. I sincerely enjoyed the high school for two years. St. Marys Area High School will always have a special place in my heart, as the students, staff, and I really enjoyed a solid bond which developed in two short years.
I am now back to being a principal in an elementary school, working with a fine staff and wonderful students at South St. Marys Street Elementary School. This is the largest of the three elementary schools in our district, and I am proud of our program in this building as well.
I have been blessed in many ways throughout my career. I continue to enjoy working with the students, and will continue to strive for excellence as long as I am principal.
"No Child Left Behind" has challenged educators everywhere, and we are rising to meet that challenge. Our assessments have shown that our students and teachers are working hard. We have an aggressive academic program, we continually update our curriculum, and we all that we can to enable our students to learn. Very importantly, we are also teaching those important characteristics and qualities of good citizenship. Unfortunately, these are not measured on state or national assessments. Kindness and respect, for self, others, as well as for school and community property, is expected of everyone in our school. I am extremely proud that our students and parents know that they are attending a safe school, filled with caring teachers and happy learners.
I look forward to the on-going challenges that face educators each and every day in our schools, and I welcome the support and involvement of our school community in our effort to give our students the best foundation for building their futures.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or concerns about our program. I am here to serve you!
Enough about the professional history of your principal. More about your school, our staff, our kids, and our program. Thanks for reading!
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