Letter from Principal
Letter from Principal
Dear Friendship Families,
Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year at Friendship Junior High! I’m excited to begin another incredible year with our Firebird community and honored to continue serving as your principal.
This year, our theme is “One Crew, One Mission.” Just like a flight crew depends on every member to soar, we believe our school thrives when students, staff, and families work together as one team. Our shared mission is to support every student’s success – academically, socially, and emotionally. When we move forward together, no one gets left behind.
We are grounded in three key focus areas this year:
Instructional Excellence
Our instructional goal centers on building strong habits in vocabulary and writing. Students will be supported through direct vocabulary instruction and consistent writing opportunities designed to strengthen their thinking, communication, and academic success. Teachers will provide feedback that helps students grow, and our work will be guided by curriculum pacing and data to ensure every learner is making progress.
Collaborative Learning
Through our continued implementation of the PLC+ (Professional Learning Community) model, staff will engage in purposeful collaboration to plan instruction, review student work, and use formative assessment to guide next steps. Every student’s progress matters, and our teams will work together to make sure learning is clear, rigorous, and responsive to student needs.
Culture and Belonging
We are committed to fostering a school environment where every student feels safe, valued, and connected. Through consistent expectations, leadership opportunities, and our 5 Star recognition system, we will continue to build a culture where students take pride in their school and in themselves.
This year also brings an updated schedule that includes Seminar, a dedicated period for academic support, enrichment, and personalized learning. We’re excited about the flexibility this adds to better meet the needs of all students.
At Friendship, we believe that learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. We encourage students to get involved in the many extracurricular opportunities available throughout the year. Strong partnerships with our families make all the difference, and I’m grateful for your continued support and collaboration.
Let’s make this a year to remember – One Crew, One Mission.
Go, Firebirds!
Warmly,
Mike Wheatley
Principal, Friendship Junior High
Dear Friendship Families,
Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year at Friendship Junior High! I’m excited to begin another incredible year with our Firebird community and honored to continue serving as your principal.
This year, our theme is “One Crew, One Mission.” Just like a flight crew depends on every member to soar, we believe our school thrives when students, staff, and families work together as one team. Our shared mission is to support every student’s success – academically, socially, and emotionally. When we move forward together, no one gets left behind.
We are grounded in three key focus areas this year:
Instructional Excellence
Our instructional goal centers on building strong habits in vocabulary and writing. Students will be supported through direct vocabulary instruction and consistent writing opportunities designed to strengthen their thinking, communication, and academic success. Teachers will provide feedback that helps students grow, and our work will be guided by curriculum pacing and data to ensure every learner is making progress.
Collaborative Learning
Through our continued implementation of the PLC+ (Professional Learning Community) model, staff will engage in purposeful collaboration to plan instruction, review student work, and use formative assessment to guide next steps. Every student’s progress matters, and our teams will work together to make sure learning is clear, rigorous, and responsive to student needs.
Culture and Belonging
We are committed to fostering a school environment where every student feels safe, valued, and connected. Through consistent expectations, leadership opportunities, and our 5 Star recognition system, we will continue to build a culture where students take pride in their school and in themselves.
This year also brings an updated schedule that includes Seminar, a dedicated period for academic support, enrichment, and personalized learning. We’re excited about the flexibility this adds to better meet the needs of all students.
At Friendship, we believe that learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. We encourage students to get involved in the many extracurricular opportunities available throughout the year. Strong partnerships with our families make all the difference, and I’m grateful for your continued support and collaboration.
Let’s make this a year to remember – One Crew, One Mission.
Go, Firebirds!
Warmly,
Mike Wheatley
Principal, Friendship Junior High
