Principal's Page
Welcome to the Principal's Page
May 10, 2012
Dear Parents and Guardians,
For those of you for whom I had the pleasure of meeting last Tuesday, it was wonderful to meet such caring and dedicated parents. I have been at Chapel Hill Academy for the last two weeks getting acclimated to students, staff and routines of the school. In the short time I have been here, I have had the distinct pleasure of watching a truly skilled staff working determinedly with a diverse and enjoyable group of students. I am eager to find my place on this team and to begin working with the families of our students.
I have been an educator for my entire professional career, and graduated from Seton Hall University with a Masters in Educational Administration. I am an avid sports enthusiast, and have coached soccer, basketball, and baseball for many years. I have been married for 17 years, and have two sons, 14 and 11, whose own sports teams I continue to coach. I have dedicated myself to excellence in education, and will continue to strive to exceed standards throughout my career at Chapel Hill Academy.
As strong ties between school and home are one of the most important components in the success of a child, I invite you to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns. I look forward to seeing you all at our May 17th Science & Arts Fair.
Yours in Education,
John J. Timmons
A man was jogging down the beach after a major storm had just come through the area. He was dismayed by the huge number of starfish that the storm had washed up on the beach. He thought that there was nothing he could do because of the immense numbers. As he continued down the beach he saw an old man throw something into the water. As he got closer, he saw the old man walk a little farther down the beach, bend over, pick up a starfish and throw it back into the water. As the jogger approached, the old man stopped again, bent over, picked up another starfish and was about to throw it into the water. The jogger stopped and asked "Why are you doing that? There are thousands of starfish on the beach. You can't possibly make a difference." The old man looked at the starfish, threw it back into the water, then replied, "I made a difference to that one, didn't I?"
-adapted from "The Star Thrower" by Loren Eiseley
May, 2012
Dear Chapel Hill Academy Community,
My name is John Timmons, and I am honored and thrilled to be the new Principal of Chapel Hill Academy. I come to Chapel Hill Academy after three years as the Vice Principal at Leonia Middle School, and fourteen years teaching Health/Physical Education at the K-8 Rockaway Valley School in Boonton Township, NJ and Haddon Township High School in Haddon Township, NJ. My education and experience have reinforced for me the vital importance of a positive school environment on our children’s future success, and has strengthened my commitment to providing an academically rigorous, developmentally appropriate, and socially equitable education for all of our students.
I am in the process of learning as much as I can about Chapel Hill Academy and have begun the essential process of developing trusting relationships with the counselors, teachers and parents. In doing so, I have been impressed with the commitment of the staff and parents to providing the best educational experience to our students. I look forward to working with our school community in making Chapel Hill Academy a model 21st learning community in which every student is provided with the necessary tools and opportunities so that they may progress academically, mature emotionally, and develop socially, in order to become productive participants at home, in school, and within the community. To this end, the staff of Chapel Hill is dedicated to providing each student an individually tailored program of comprehensive education that incorporates academics, technology, social skills, arts and culture, practical life skills, health and physical education, as well as behavior modification, thereby affording the students the opportunity to utilize their strengths in realizing success.
As a faculty and staff, we strive to achieve high standards of excellence, and to insure that all students achieve a strong academic foundation as well as becoming caring, responsible citizens. To achieve this goal, we are committed to open, honest communication and a strong partnership between home and school. Research has demonstrated time and again that students who are the most successful in school have parents/guardians who are actively engaged in their children’s learning. Therefore, we encourage you to get involved in your child’s education here at Chapel Hill. You can do this in many different ways, such as: attending our Parent Association Meetings as well as our Parent Support Group; talking with your child and taking an active interest in what he or she is learning on a daily basis; communicating regularly with your child’s counselor(s) about issues and changes in your child’s life if they might impact learning and asking questions when you are unsure about something; making sure your child is “dressed for success” and appropriate for learning; insuring your child arrives to school ready to learn; supporting your child’s teacher/counselor(s); and most importantly, by encouraging your child to be the best that he or she can be every day!
Again, thank you for such a warm welcome to Chapel Hill Academy. Just as the old man in “The Star Thrower”, we all possess the ability to make a difference. We hold in our hands the power to change a life, a mind, or a circumstance today. What we do with that gift will help us to forge a brighter future for our students at Chapel Hill Academy.
Yours in Education,
John J. Timmons, Jr.
Principal