Belicia Reaves Welcome Back to School Letter – SY 2026-27

I am thrilled to welcome all of you to the 2026–27 school year! To our new families, “Welcome to the Boat!” We are excited that you have chosen to join our community, and we look forward to getting to know you and your students. To our returning families, “Welcome Back!” We are grateful to continue this journey with you and appreciate the partnership you bring to our school community.

This year marks the final year of our three-year strategic plan, Sailing to Success: Charting a Course to Educational Excellence. As we enter this final year, we are fine-tuning our approach and becoming even more intentional about the strategies that will help us reach our goals. Last year, we celebrated many meaningful successes in the areas of academic growth, staff retention, and financial sustainability. Inspired by James Clear’s Atomic Habits, this year we are building on that momentum with a sharper focus and a continued commitment to excellence, seeking to “get 1% better everyday”.

At the heart of our work is our commitment to ensuring that every student has what they need to thrive. Through our use of MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports), we provide a system of diverse support that differentiates education at Two Rivers. We want every student to have access to the social and cognitive skills targeted at their grade level and to receive the appropriate challenge to continue growing.

We are also sharpening our focus on EL Core Practice 11: Delivering Effective Lessons. This means ensuring that our classrooms are places where students are engaged in meaningful and productive work, where classroom management promotes equity and respect, and where students are active collaborators and thinkers. Our teachers will continue to foster critical thinking, develop character, and empower students to understand and track their own progress toward learning targets.

These priorities reflect an important belief: educational excellence happens through intentional practice, strong relationships, consistent systems, and a shared commitment to every student. As we hone in on the strategies outlined in our strategic plan, we will continue working together to ensure that our students are learning, growing, and developing the skills they need to succeed, as well as the social and emotional confidence to succeed in school and beyond.

It is my privilege to partner with you as we kick off a new school year. Our engaged families, incredible students and dedicated teachers and leaders, make the Two Rivers community truly special. Thank you for being such an important part of our Crew. 

With gratitude,