Dear East families,

I am looking forward to another successful school year as the Principal of East Elementary.  I feel very fortunate to be able to serve the district and have been thoroughly enjoying all of the challenges and successes it has brought for me.

Prior to my time in Coopersville, I was a teacher at Webberville Elementary for nine years. During my nine years of teaching I was lucky enough to teach a variety of grade levels ranging from 1st grade up to 6th grade.  I was also a basketball coach and Athletic Director at the middle school level. After my time at Webberville, I took an Assistant Principal job in Fowlerville at H. T. Smith Elementary which housed K-2nd grade students.

In my eyes, one of the most important aspects of my work as East’s principal is building solid relationships with students, families and staff. It will be very important to me, to be in the hallways, classrooms and on the playground getting to know the students at East Elementary. In my past experience, I have found that children really appreciate a person who genuinely invests in them and who is fair in decision making. These two things are extremely important to me.

In addition to building strong relationships with all of you, it will be particularly important to me to make sure that your child and you feel safe at school. If you ever have a concern about something or a question about a specific situation or procedure, please do not hesitate to call or email me. Communication is paramount in a school. For this reason, I will always encourage you to contact your child’s teacher or me with questions.

 I thank you in advance for all your support and look forward to another great year!

Go Broncos!

Corey DeRidder