Welcome to Foothill High School
Welcome to the 2013-14 school year. It is with a great deal of enthusiasm that I begin my first year at Foothill High School. I always greet each school year with a renewed commitment to my primary goal of empowering students to achieve their educational potential. This goal is not easily reached. However, I am confident that Foothill has the necessary components of greatness to challenge and cultivate student engagement and success.
The Foothill community has many reasons to be proud: an Academic Performance Index (API) score of 886, a nationally-recognized array of extra and co-curricular programs and a dedicated staff of accomplished professionals. Foothill is undoubtedly one of the top high schools in the region, the state and the nation, but we must not let this record of success lead to complacency. Foothill aligns with the Pleasanton school districts strategic plan to pursue college and career readiness for all of our students. We must continue to establish rich connections between the high school experience and the world beyond our classroom walls. Through the highest levels of professionalism, dedication and partnership, we will achieve these goals.
Foothill is committed to fostering a culture that provides every student with a safe and welcoming environment as well as a variety of opportunities to support student success. I encourage you to get involved. “School connectedness was found to be the strongest protective factor for both boys and girls to decrease substance use, school absenteeism, early sexual initiation, violence, and risk of unintentional injury (e.g., drinking and driving, not wearing seat belts)," according to the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. In this same study, school connectedness was second in importance, after family connectedness, as a protective factor against emotional distress, eating disorders and suicidal ideation and attempts.
We are grateful to the families and community of Pleasanton for their emphasis on the importance of education and support of student success. Resources provided by our generous support groups, particularly the PTO (formerly AABC), Athletic Boosters and Band Boosters, enhance our students’ academic and extracurricular experiences at Foothill. We are proud of our students for having high expectations for themselves and their education and for their excitement about and pride in our school. Students and families, as you make Foothill your home, please get involved with our campus community. We believe that our students’ connections to Foothill will define who we are and what we will become.
Success is never accomplished in isolation. The excellent staff of teachers, counselors, administrators and support personnel at Foothill is dedicated to helping students develop and achieve their individual goals. Administrators and counselors have an open-door policy for students with school-related concerns or personal issues. We value your feedback and encourage members of our educational community to approach us with ideas that can contribute to our vision.
I am excited about the partnerships we will build in the upcoming year. Through teamwork and valuing outside perspectives, I am committed to advancing the district’s mission of students making the world a better place. I wish you the very best during the summer and into the 2013-2014 school year. Go Falcons!
Sincerely,
Jason Krolikowski
Principal