August 12, 2024

Hello Perry Families,                                               

My name is Andrea Gunns, and I am excited to be in my second year as the Principal of Perry Elementary School!  I come to you with 36 years of experience working in education and 10 years as a school administrator, working with Kindergarten-8^th grade students.  I look forward to working with all of you this year to grow our academics and learning, safety, family and community partnerships. 

Also, Rick Gudowski will remain as Assistant Principal at Perry this year. Rick brings 28 years of experience in education and 15 years as a school administrator working with kindergarten-5th grade students. Rick brings a passion and commitment to the Perry Community and will continue to support every child so that they can reach their full potential.

I am committed to continuing the path to excellence. I can assure you that I share in this school community’s commitment to caring for your children each day, while providing them with a positive and enriching learning environment. This year, we are introducing Growth Mindset lessons and Restorative Practices into our school and classrooms.  Our goal is to teach our students to be responsible for their learning and building possibilities for success. We are using  a curriculum to address the needs of the whole child, including focusing on their individual social emotional learning (SEL). We are working with teachers and staff to help each student grow and excel academically and behaviorally. Through the dedication of our staff, your parental support, central office, and our community, our goals will be achieved. 

As your principal, I understand the importance of transparent and consistent communication. I want this year to be a positive and productive school year full of collaboration, enthusiasm, and learning.  Mr. Gudowski and I look forward to meeting you on Thursday August 22, 2024, from 6-8PM in the Perry School Library during Open House.  We will be sharing our plans for this year and how you can support your children.  We welcome parents to volunteer and will be providing you with information at the open house to find out how to volunteer. There are many ways to stay “in the know” for school updates and information. For the latest announcements please make sure you check the school website & Facebook Page on a regular basis.

It is important to me to greet everyone who enters the school with the utmost respect. I have an open-door policy and value every stakeholder’s opinion. Please feel free to contact me to discuss any concerns you may have or any points of pride you would like to share. 

Once again, I am ready to continue the work as principal of Perry Elementary and I look forward to getting to know every one of you this year!  Our theme is Growing Together…With a New Mindset!

Sincerely,

Andrea Gunns

Principal, Perry Elementary

814-874-6485

agunns@eriesd.org