Principal's Message

June, 2019

Dear Peterson Families,

My name is Chandra Henry and I am honored to join the staff at Peterson Middle School as the new principal.  I am very passionate about education, Santa Clara Unified, and supporting students in their growth and development.  As a graduate of Santa Clara High School, my roots are here in SCUSD and with this community.  I have spent my tenure as an English Language Arts teacher and an administrator in this district, and over the last 15 years have been a Vice Principal at both Santa Clara and Wilcox High Schools.  My most recent experience was serving as the Acting Principal at Wilcox High School during the Fall semester of 2018.

As a mother of two daughters, ages 2 and 4, who are transitioning to Preschool and Kindergarten in the fall, I see first-hand the importance of the school community partnering with parents to meet the needs of our students.  Parents are the first and most important teacher that a child has.  I believe that working in collaboration with one another we create an environment for learning, growth and development that our students need, especially during the formative middle school years.

I believe that a great school is the result of great teachers and staff collaborating and working together to individualize student support.  I want to ensure that every student is receiving high-quality instruction from every teacher.  In the role of lead learner at Peterson Middle School, being present in classrooms will be a priority in supporting the growth and development of teachers.  I plan to bring professional development opportunities that support teaching and learning and keep Peterson moving forward with 21st century skills and technology.

I look forward to working collaboratively with the Peterson vice principals and counseling team to ensure that all of our students have access to the social and emotional support that is critical during the middle school years.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve your families in this role.  I look forward to working with you in the years to come.

Sincerely, Chandra Henry

408-423-2801

chenry@scusd.net

7:30am - 4:00pm