text: Principal's Welcome – Principal's Welcome – Mariposa Elementary School
  On behalf of the Mariposa Elementary Staff, I'd like to welcome you to the 2021-2022 school year. I am your principal, Rick Torres. We are looking forward to what will certainly be a memorable school year. As normalcy returns to our campus, so do opportunities for enrichment and innovative instructional practices.
  Mariposa Monarchs will take flight this fall with new additions to our already fantastic school. It will begin with the opening of our new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Lab; a place for young minds to stretch their problems solving strategies and stimulate creative thinking. Boasting a maker's space, three different types of robotics, and flexible furniture, students will engage with 21st-century learning tools to prepare them for promising futures. Students grades 2-6 will once again receive piano lessons in our one-of-a-kind Roland Keyboarding Music Lab. This year we will also welcome a visual arts teacher who will deliver a monthly art lesson that will be tied to grade-level curriculum, art concepts, and important artists. Mariposa's playground will also receive a facelift with resurfacing and multicolor paint. The blacktop has been redesigned to have elements to engage every type of child with number and alphabet grids, hop-skip-jump obstacle courses, and new games.
  We also look forward to the return of enrichment opportunities. Mariposa plans to once again participate in Math League competitions for grades 3-6. The VEX Robotics after-school program will also begin with our return in the fall. Mrs. Miller is eagerly anticipating leading a show choir
  Mariposa Elementary is optimistically planning occasions to once again welcome families back on campus. Events have been calendared for the new school year including the return of the school carnival and the addition of an art exhibition. These events will of course adhere to any safety restrictions that may be in place at the time. Regardless of the circumstances, Mariposa will provide families occasions to come together and celebrate learning such as with STEM and Art nights which can be held in person or via Zoom.
  Our teachers will continue the work of providing a world-class educational experience for students. This will include the implementation of a new science curriculum with emphasis on hands-on experiences, adopted to ensure learning of the Next Generation Science Standards. Teachers will also take steps to integrate art into daily practices in order to benefit students in retention, engagement, and deeper learning experiences.
  It is important to me to provide opportunities for parents and families to be heard. I encourage your participation with our amazing PTA, which has had an integral part in bringing many of the aforementioned programs to Mariposa. My door is also always open to teachers, students, and parents to share ideas, concerns, and questions. I am eager to hear your hopes and dreams for Mariposa, and how I can best serve you and your children as their principal.