Principal's Page

I would like to welcome each of you to a new school year at Olney Elementary School. A special welcome is extended to new families who have moved into the Olney area. Many people work together to make Olney the special school that it is. The Building Service Staff works diligently to make Olney shine inside and out for our students, staff, and families. The office staff, teachers, paraeducators, involved parents, and students all work collaboratively to fulfill Olney's mission:

The parents, staff, and students of Olney Elementary School will work as a team to become life-long learners and productive citizens. By putting forth our best effort, we will strive to create an environment of mutual respect and academic challenge.

This year our school will continue to participate in the Baldrige Program for Education as part of the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) initiative. The purpose if this program is to create an integrated management system that enables organizations to focus systematically and systemically on performance excellence and continuous improvement. Our goal at Olney is to continue to put Baldrige tools and processes into the classroom to enable students to become co-producers of their learning and accountable for their progress. The expectations of students in this program correlate well with the MCPS shift to a standards-based grading and reporting system in which all students are expected to achieve at or above grade level. You will be hearing more about the Baldrige program as the year progresses.

Again, let me welcome the families who are new to our community and encourage you to get involved in your school. As a staff, we are committed to working with you to provide the best education possible for your child. To our returning families -- I am delighted to welcome you back and encourage you to continue your support of Olney. I am looking forward to working with all of you this year in partnership to prepare our students to work and live successfully in the twenty-first century.

Sincerely,

Joan A. O'Brien