• August 2023

     

    Dear Garfield-Palouse Cooperative Families and Community:

    I am thrilled to be writing to you today to introduce myself as the new Principal of Palouse Elementary – Garfield-Palouse High School. Over the summer, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many of the staff, student, and parent members of the Gar Pal Cooperative family and I couldn’t be more delighted to join the team! In every conversation, your pride in the community and in our students has shone through.

    My journey to the Cooperative has been a rewarding one which has cultivated life-long connections with students, staff and families.  I look forward to building these relationships with you. Our family has deep roots in Whitman County as my grandmother grew up in Endicott and my grandfather in St. John; I was born in Pullman while my parents were at WSU. Go Cougs!   My husband and I are the proud parents of three grown children and love our role as grandparents to our granddaughters who are almost seven-years-old and two-months-old.

    We are blessed to have a dynamic group of teachers and support staff here in Palouse and are pleased to welcome several new staff members this year:

    Kelsey Blair, Food Service Manager                          Madison Dingman, 3rd Grade Student Teacher
    Alisha Horton, 1st Grade Teacher                               Ryan Burtchett, High School AG/CTE
    Anna Brown, 2nd Grade Guest Teacher                     Glory Dickerson, High School AG/CTE

    Parents, students and staff all play an important role in the life and education of a child. I believe a school is a place where everyone should be valued and respected.  Garfield – Palouse provides a collective community effort which has resulted in our schools upholding a rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence. Through communication, collaboration, and continuous improvement, I hope to ensure that our students find success and are well prepared for promising futures as they graduate.

    I invite you to be an active member of our school community by making sure students arrive to school on time, checking to see if all assignments are complete, and being supportive to our teachers and staff.  Also, please check our school website for up-to-date information.  All of our newsletters, notices and important information can be found online and usually communication will be sent through ParentSquare and/or posted on our school website. 

    Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of shaping your child’s future. I look forward to listening to your ideas and vision for our school, learning from you, and leading with you as we enter the 2023-24 school year together. 

    Partnering with you for your child’s success,

    Sandra Krause-Ayers
    Palouse Elementary – Garfield-Palouse High School Principal

     

    The secret to education is respecting the student – Ralph Waldo Emerson