Get to Know Principal Garden — Fearless Educator, Lover of Books, Aspiring Writer…Cupcake Artist!4/22/2024 It’s hard to believe Principal Garden is getting ready to wrap up her second year at Clough. While many of us have had the pleasure of getting to know her through a passing chat, a friendly wave or Caregiver Updates, we wanted to learn more! In her office, surrounded by a sea of books and sporting earrings each decorated with a chalkboard and apple, Principal Garden sat down with us to share some of her Principal origin story — heartwarming childhood anecdotes, personal interests, and the career adventures that eventually led her to Mendon. Here are 5 fun takeaways from our chat. 1. Principal Garden’s love of books started at an early age. Principal Garden’s mother was an educator who instilled in her a love of reading from an early age, leading to a fun and formative elementary school experience. “I had a first-grade teacher who didn’t really know what to do with me because I could read, so he just sent me to the school library every day,” she explains, laughing at the fact that a strategy so unconventional would certainly be called into question today. But, for her, the creative approach to learning was a gift. “I pretty much read my way through the whole library. I loved it!” 2. She spent much of her childhood on a farm in Ohio. Principal Garden enjoys sharing stories from her farmhouse upbringing with Clough kids. She tells them about her family “growing popcorn” and doing woodworking projects, how they had to drive from house to house to trick-or-treat, and how she’d yell, “The bull’s out!” when their neighbor’s animal friend frequently escaped. But a touching birthday memory from that chapter of her life takes the cake. “When I turned 10, my mom took my panda bear collection — the kids know they’re my favorite animal to this day — and put party hats on them. She recorded herself singing happy birthday on a tape recorder, so when I woke up, it was like my panda bears were singing to me.” With Principal Garden’s own kids turning double digits this year, she hopes to create a memory for them that’s just as special! 3. Principal Garden is a writer! Following a family move to Virginia Beach in sixth grade — something she describes as a bit of a culture shock — Principal Garden had the chance to pursue a new passion. “My teacher saw that I was adjusting to being new and that I loved writing, so she entered me into tons of writing contests,” she recalls “I wrote to the local newspaper, and they came and did a story on the kids at our school. For the first time, I saw that my words can be powerful.” Fun fact: That love of writing lives on and, in addition to being a contributing author for several educational resources, Principal Garden hopes to someday publish her very own book! 4. She isn’t afraid of trying new things. Principal Garden’s career has been diverse, thanks in part to her willingness to step outside of her comfort zone. But she’s also humble about her success, crediting the support of others for doors opening to new opportunities. “I’m grateful that others saw what they saw in me,” she says. “I had the benefit of people saying that they thought I could do it.” That courageous spirit also helped deliver wins in the classroom. She recalls a time when she recognized that one of her high school science students couldn’t read and decided to get creative. “He was very bright and an amazing artist, so I said to him, ‘I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll let you tell me the test answers verbally or draw them out, and if I can understand what you’re trying to say, then you’ll pass.’ That’s what we did, and he went on to study marine biology.” 5. What does Principal Garden enjoy doing outside of school?
It was fun to learn that Principal Garden loves to bake, and even once had a side business making decorative cupcakes! Like many caregivers of young, active children, her two kids’ schedules keep her very busy these days. And if you’ve attended any recent PTO celebrations, you probably know that her husband is in a pretty awesome band, so music is a big part of their household. She also likes to travel and celebrates the idea of kids learning by seeing different parts of the country and the world. In fact, it was on a cross-country road trip with her mom, while staying on Lucky Lane in Flagstaff Arizona, where she found out she got her first Assistant Principal job many years ago! Birthday books, Breakfast and Bingo, Book Lover’s Breakfast, and so much more…Principal Garden got straight to work since joining Clough, and we’re thrilled to have her leading our great school. Thankfully, the feeling is mutual and she’s happy to be here. “It’s such a great community,” she says. “The staff is amazing, the families are awesome, and the kids are the best — that’s the best part.” Stay tuned for more spotlights on Clough’s wonderful staff and programs. And in the meantime, read our Spring Newsletter to see what fun things the PTO has planned for the rest of the year!
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