Principal's Message

Bulldog Students and Families,

Welcome to Centennial High School for the 2022-23 school year!  This year is very exciting as we are quickly approaching the completion of our brand new Centennial High School building.  With that, our current Senior class will be marked in history as the final class to graduate from our current Centennial school. On the flip side, our ninth through 11th grade students will have the memories of attending both Centennial buildings.  In preparation of these exciting transitions, and in addition to the many other transitions that happen in high school, we have chosen a theme for the year which we feel best represents our role as an education system in helping our students navigate the pathways from high school to the adult world.  

Our theme for this school year is “Building Bridges.”  We felt this was appropriate as Centennial  takes pride in linking our students to the necessary pathways for their success.  We are, and should be, a place of endless bridges that help guide and support our students to their future success. 

I would also like to share our two main goals to attain during this school year.  Many of the metaphorical “bridges” we find or create will stem from or connect to these two goals.

1. Teaching & learning at a high level -  In essence, this is a partnership between the learner and the school to provide and engage in educational opportunities at the highest level for all.  To accomplish this, we will build “bridges” to the following:

   1. Deliver rigorous and pertinent curriculum.

   2. Provide ample opportunities for students to receive and provide feedback on their learning.

   3. Provide opportunities to positively support and enrich student learning.

   4. Gauge mastery so students are armed with the necessary skills to thrive in our world.

2. Student Engagement - Engagement comes in many forms, but all research supports that being involved in your school in more than just classes sharply increases academic achievement and happiness.  This leads to a more fulfilling experience for the learner.  To accomplish this, we build “bridges” that:

   1. Increase attendance.  The surest indicator if a student is engaged in their school is to monitor if they come.  We celebrate when they do, and we support when they don’t, but the expectation is to be here so learning can take place.

   2. Connect students with sports, clubs or organizations in which they enjoy.  Without these extracurricular opportunities, school would just be…school.  Opportunities to have fun, make friends, and expand knowledge outside of the classroom are essential.

   3. Provide social opportunities so students can gather together and celebrate.  These include the Bell Game, Assemblies, Dances, Parades, many others. 

   4. Gauge involvement to provide these, and new, opportunities for our students so they are armed with the necessary life skills to thrive in our world.

I speak for the entire Centennial staff when I say, we are thrilled to enter this school year being able to work with students and their families.  We will have many opportunities for parents, guardians and families to be engaged in this process as well.  Our first will come on Wednesday, September 7th with our annual “Open House” for Bulldog families.  We certainly hope you can help us strive to achieve our engagement goals by attending this important event.  I know together, as a learning partnership,  we can build all of the necessary “Bridges” to support each other in the pursuit of providing an excellent foundation for all Bulldog students to thrive in their lives. 

Welcome Back Bulldogs!  It’s going to be a GREAT year!

Sincerely,

Dave Craddock