Dear North Augusta Elementary School Parents and Guardians,
I am very excited to introduce myself as the new principal of North Augusta Elementary School (NAUES). I am honored that I was chosen to lead such an amazing school and school community. I have heard nothing but positive things about the students, teachers, and parent community. I have met several teachers, office staff, and PTA members, and they have all been welcoming and enthusiastic about the school and upcoming school year and have already made me feel like I am part of the NAUES Dolphin Family.
My educational journey includes a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Church Ministries and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, and Principal Certification from the University of North Texas in Denton. I come to you with 14 years of experience as an educator in rural, urban, and suburban settings ranging from the elementary, middle, and high school levels. My experiences have helped me see the social, academic, and behavioral transitions from kindergarten to senior year of high school. This past academic school year, I served as an Assistant Principal at Highland Springs Middle School for Aiken County Public Schools.
In addition to my role as an educator, I am first and foremost a husband and father. I am a proud husband to the most beautiful woman in the world, Michele, and a proud father to my two boys, Jaaziel Kalani and Mikael Jathniel. We also enjoy the company of our miniature schnauzer “Buddy.”
I want to take a moment to share my vision for our school. First and foremost, we will work together to create a community that radiates with positivity, kindness, and inclusivity. Every student should feel a profound sense of belonging, safety, and support at NAUES from the first moment they walk into our building. I am a firm believer in the power of the student voice. Our students are the heart and soul of our school, and their dreams, stories, cultures, and ideas should be valued, nurtured, and given a platform to shine. I am committed to finding ways for our young leaders to become active participants in their learning and to find opportunities for student leadership within our school and beyond.
As we all know, it is crucial that we strengthen our school-wide systems and processes. Clear and open communication, collaboration, and shared decision-making will be at the heart of our work. Teams will begin this work right away, and I truly value the voices of our families, so please reach out if you would like to collaborate on this over the summer.
I wholeheartedly believe that great schools are the result of great teachers. For this reason, one of my primary goals is to support the teachers of NAUES by providing them with the tools they need to continue to be successful and help your children grow and prosper. I plan to model effective instructional leadership by emphasizing the value of research-based strategies and application through teacher professional development, which results in improved student achievement.
I am thrilled about this school year and look forward to partnering with you to ensure that the students of NAUES have a school year filled with quality instruction and fun. Please get involved with our school PTA to guarantee that your voices are heard and know that my door is always open.
All the best,
Eliezer (Eli) Badillo