Welcome Back, Wilder Lions!

Welcome back, Wilder Lions! I hope your summer was filled with time to rest, recharge, and make wonderful memories with the people you love. As we begin a brand-new school year, I could not be more excited about what is ahead for our Wilder community!

Last year, we began an important journey together. We listened to our students, staff, and families and asked a simple but powerful question: Who are we, and who do we want to be together? Through surveys, conversations, and reflection, our community helped shape a new vision for Wilder. Along the way, we discovered that our identity was about so much more than a mascot. It was about the kind of school we want to create and the way we want people to feel when they walk through our doors.

And that is how our Lions were born!

Our new Lion mascot represents the heart of who we are. Lions are courageous, strong, compassionate, and fiercely protective of their pride. Those qualities connect beautifully to our Wilder PRIDE: Positive Attitude, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy. This year, we are going to put those values into action as we build our PRIDE together.

We are also thrilled to welcome Mrs. Whitney Pyke back to our Wilder family as she transitioned from our MTSS Coach to our new Assistant Principal. Mrs. Pyke brings tremendous energy, experience, and a genuine passion for students and staff. I know you will see her out and about throughout the building, strengthening relationships with our students, supporting our staff, and becoming an important part of our Wilder PRIDE.

One of the things I am most excited about this year is the opportunity for our students to find their voice and their place within our school community. We are launching new student leadership opportunities, organized clubs, and experiences designed to help students discover their interests, develop leadership skills, build friendships, and make a meaningful difference at Wilder. Our goal is for every Lion to have opportunities to lead, contribute, belong, and shine.

As we move forward, we will continue to hold high expectations for every student while surrounding them with the support, encouragement, and relationships they need to meet those expectations. We want Wilder to be a place where students are challenged to grow, celebrated for who they are, and encouraged to become the very best versions of themselves.

Most importantly, we are committed to cultivating a school environment where our entire community is happy, healthy, and safe. We want our students to feel known. We want our staff to feel supported. We want our families to feel connected. And we want every person who enters Wilder to know that they are an important part of our pride.

This is more than the beginning of a new school year. It is the beginning of a new chapter for Wilder.

So, Lions, let’s make it a great one. Let’s lead with courage, protect our PRIDE, lift one another up, and make Wilder a place where everyone belongs.

Welcome back, Wilder Lions. Our pride is growing—and I can’t wait to see where we go together!

With PRIDE,

Tabatha Swain
Principal, Wilder Elementary