School Principal Michelle Hope Barnes Urges Parents to Consider School 90

Michelle Hope Barnes, principal of School 90, introduced herself and appealed to caregivers to consider enrolling their children at the small, neighborhood school in Peterson.

Barnes said she is in her 13th year as a principal and her 24th year in the district. She traced her decision to become an educator to a tenth-grade English teacher, Miss Thomas, and said her Guyanese background and time in Brooklyn, New York, shaped her outlook.

"I fell in love with my students," Barnes said, describing seven years as an English teacher when she got to know students and their families closely. Now as a principal, she said she still forms close connections while influencing teachers and speaking with parents.

Describing School 90, Barnes said the building looks small from the outside but feels "like a home away from home" inside. She said staff celebrate diverse holidays and cultures, the hallways show laughter and learning, and that the school serves children who speak multiple languages.

"Our data is outstanding," she said, adding that early grades should be both fun and academically rigorous so children want to come to school. Barnes recounted students urging their parents to let them attend even when mildly ill because they feel cared for.

She emphasized staffwide commitment: "From administration to our custodial staff, we care for students, and we have students' best interests at heart." Barnes said teachers are trained to meet students at different levels and that the principal's role is to advocate for children.

Barnes concluded by urging caregivers looking for a place for their child to "please consider School 90," and reiterated that she sees herself as an advocate for students' success. No formal action or vote was recorded during these remarks.