August 29, 2022
Dear West Side School Community Members,
I hope you had a wonderful summer and cannot wait to meet you and your children on Thursday, 9/1/22 for the first day of school. My name is John Barnes, and I am thrilled to join the Cold Spring Harbor School District as West Side’s new principal. Although I am new to Cold Spring Harbor, I have worked for almost two decades as a school administrator. My undergraduate degree is from the Hartt School of Music, and I started my career as an elementary music teacher in a PreK-Grade 5 school. I then was a Social Studies enrichment teacher before teaching all core subjects as a 4th grade classroom teacher. I served as a Standards-Based Model Classroom teacher and staff developer/instructional coach, prior to making the leap into school administration. I love working with students as they transition from early childhood to young adulthood, and believe it is the most important time in the lives of our young scholars. The foundation created sets the pathways in place, for a lifetime of opportunities, and all the milestone moments ahead for our children. I am excited, and grateful, to be part of the West Side school family.
I know how fortunate I am to join West Side, and how high the expectations will be from our school and district constituents. It is important to ensure the rich history, legacies, and traditions of our school community are upheld and honored, while we also work to prepare for the rigorous demands of the new and ever-changing world that has evolved considerably over the last few years. With the team of extraordinary people in our school and across our district, I am confident we can exceed even our own expectations to facilitate our students in reaching their maximum potential academically, socially, and emotionally.
Please note I am open to your feedback, suggestions, ideas, and counsel. It is clear we have a dedicated community of caring and involved family members. I officially began at West Side on Monday, August 22nd. I hope to see you at this Friday’s PTG Back to School Picnic at West Side from 4:30 -6:30 pm. I look forward to working with our Parent Teacher Group to ensure we are doing all that we possibly can to support a strong home to school partnership and the success and happiness of every West Side student. I want nothing more than to meet all your children’s needs and to work collaboratively and proactively with all stakeholders. I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer and that you are taking some time to recharge, rejuvenate, and enjoy quality time with your friends, families, and loved ones.
Please feel free to take this voluntary and anonymous survey to help with entry planning initiatives. I am thrilled to join West Side and cannot wait to begin!
With enthusiasm and gratitude,
John Barnes
Principal
