Principal’s Welcome
I am Lonnie Wallace, your new principal of Venice High School. I wish to thank the Venice High School family and community for selecting me as your principal. I hope to maintain the trust you have placed in me to lead the school. During the short while I have been on board, students and staff have been very welcoming and supportive. I am learning more and more about Venice each day. I have visited all of the classrooms, and was very pleased at what I observed. Venice teachers and students live up to their fine reputation.
As I did my research in preparation for the first interview, I learned that Venice has a long history and is a very close knit community, and that Venice is heaped in tradition. Many outside Venice High made that sound ominous, but I found it attractive and challenging. It is attractive because, I see tradition as consistency and cohesiveness. I believe in schools and communities being the village that helps raise the child. Hilary Clinton did not coin that phrase or that notion. I grew up in a town that supported my parents' efforts to raise productive citizens. I felt safe, supported, and cared for in my community and my school, and I want that for the students and parents that I serve. The challenge comes with determining how I fit into this new family.
The next few months will be spent learning more and more about Venice High School and what makes it function. I will try to look at what I learn from all perspectives. I will meet with key individuals and groups to learn what the needs are and how we can go about addressing those needs. I wish for us to look at our vision and Expected School-wide Learning Results to determine where we are in realizing those.
We held school-wide assemblies the second week of the semester. When I spoke to the students in the assemblies, I emphasized the slogan that resides on the marquee: “Failure is not an option.” I asked them to own that idea. In today’s world, socio-economic, religious, ethnic, cultural, religious background or sexual orientation do not have to be a stumbling block. A student can succeed if he/she puts his/her mind and actions to it. I want students to dream and explore, find their passion, their talent, and work to develop that talent and realize their dreams and aspirations. I also asked students to write out their dreams and aspirations for the future and to give me a copy of that. So, ask your young person if he/she has done their assignment for the principal.
Parents, I ask your support as I settle in. The support I would like from you is what I am sure you do all of the time. Please be sure that your child is in school on time everyday. Please monitor homework and school work. Your child should have homework every night. If there isn’t a written assignment due the next day, your child should spend at least an hour per day studying, reviewing the day’s lessons, or reading. If your child says there isn’t any assignment or studying to do, call the teachers to confirm. Look for the progress report or report card every 5-week period. Call your child’s teachers or counselor to check on grades and attendance. Visit your child’s classes. Attend parent meetings. Attend your child’s activities. I know that many of you work and time is limited, but it is important that you are an active, visible presence at Venice High School for your child
Please call me if you have any questions or concerns. I am excited to take this journey with you.
Lonnie Wallace,
Principal,
Venice High School
As I did my research in preparation for the first interview, I learned that Venice has a long history and is a very close knit community, and that Venice is heaped in tradition. Many outside Venice High made that sound ominous, but I found it attractive and challenging. It is attractive because, I see tradition as consistency and cohesiveness. I believe in schools and communities being the village that helps raise the child. Hilary Clinton did not coin that phrase or that notion. I grew up in a town that supported my parents' efforts to raise productive citizens. I felt safe, supported, and cared for in my community and my school, and I want that for the students and parents that I serve. The challenge comes with determining how I fit into this new family.
The next few months will be spent learning more and more about Venice High School and what makes it function. I will try to look at what I learn from all perspectives. I will meet with key individuals and groups to learn what the needs are and how we can go about addressing those needs. I wish for us to look at our vision and Expected School-wide Learning Results to determine where we are in realizing those.
We held school-wide assemblies the second week of the semester. When I spoke to the students in the assemblies, I emphasized the slogan that resides on the marquee: “Failure is not an option.” I asked them to own that idea. In today’s world, socio-economic, religious, ethnic, cultural, religious background or sexual orientation do not have to be a stumbling block. A student can succeed if he/she puts his/her mind and actions to it. I want students to dream and explore, find their passion, their talent, and work to develop that talent and realize their dreams and aspirations. I also asked students to write out their dreams and aspirations for the future and to give me a copy of that. So, ask your young person if he/she has done their assignment for the principal.
Parents, I ask your support as I settle in. The support I would like from you is what I am sure you do all of the time. Please be sure that your child is in school on time everyday. Please monitor homework and school work. Your child should have homework every night. If there isn’t a written assignment due the next day, your child should spend at least an hour per day studying, reviewing the day’s lessons, or reading. If your child says there isn’t any assignment or studying to do, call the teachers to confirm. Look for the progress report or report card every 5-week period. Call your child’s teachers or counselor to check on grades and attendance. Visit your child’s classes. Attend parent meetings. Attend your child’s activities. I know that many of you work and time is limited, but it is important that you are an active, visible presence at Venice High School for your child
Please call me if you have any questions or concerns. I am excited to take this journey with you.
Lonnie Wallace,
Principal,
Venice High School
