Letter from the Principal
Letter from the Principal
Dear Rupley Families,
Welcome to the 2023-24 school year! It is an incredible honor to serve the Rupley community as your principal. In my 17 years in the field of education, I have been a classroom teacher, instructional coach, curriculum coordinator, and Brentwood’s assistant principal for the past four years. I believe all of these experiences have prepared me to lead Rupley Elementary School with honesty, integrity, and passion.
Our assistant principal, Kate Ipsen, brings13 years of experience serving as a speech and language pathologist, a student services coordinator, and a director of early childhood and specialized learning. Kate and I both share a vision of building positive relationships and ensuring a culture of high expectations for our students. We are so excited to be an administrative team, and we are looking forward to welcoming this community with open arms.
When I reflect on my years as an elementary student, the one thing I remember most is the way many of my teachers cared about me as a person. That is something I have always carried in my heart, and it has become my core value as an educator. I want every child who walks through our Rupley doors to feel seen, loved, and cared for every day. We are fortunate to have a staff at Rupley who are true champions for our students. I am confident that our commitment to making sure our school environment is responsive, safe, and loving will help our students view Rupley Elementary School as their home away from home.
Our CCSD59 vision is to prepare students to be successful for life. At Rupley, we will uphold this vision by creating conditions for students to take risks in their learning while also holding students to high expectations socially, behaviorally, and academically. We will strive to deliver our core curriculum with rigor, equity, purpose, and engagement. Additionally, we will model and teach students how to be kind and treat others with dignity and respect. This is how we create a sense of belonging in our school.
While all of the things mentioned above are of high importance in order to make a school successful, none of it means anything without trusting partnerships with our parents and guardians. I pledge to always offer a listening ear to hear your perspective on our students’ education and work alongside you in order to make this year a positive experience for our students, staff, and community. I look forward to working with you as a team to support our students and make this year one they won’t soon forget!
Katie Zulauf
Principal, Rupley Elementary
Dear Rupley Families,
Welcome to the 2023-24 school year! It is an incredible honor to serve the Rupley community as your principal. In my 17 years in the field of education, I have been a classroom teacher, instructional coach, curriculum coordinator, and Brentwood’s assistant principal for the past four years. I believe all of these experiences have prepared me to lead Rupley Elementary School with honesty, integrity, and passion.
Our assistant principal, Kate Ipsen, brings13 years of experience serving as a speech and language pathologist, a student services coordinator, and a director of early childhood and specialized learning. Kate and I both share a vision of building positive relationships and ensuring a culture of high expectations for our students. We are so excited to be an administrative team, and we are looking forward to welcoming this community with open arms.
When I reflect on my years as an elementary student, the one thing I remember most is the way many of my teachers cared about me as a person. That is something I have always carried in my heart, and it has become my core value as an educator. I want every child who walks through our Rupley doors to feel seen, loved, and cared for every day. We are fortunate to have a staff at Rupley who are true champions for our students. I am confident that our commitment to making sure our school environment is responsive, safe, and loving will help our students view Rupley Elementary School as their home away from home.
Our CCSD59 vision is to prepare students to be successful for life. At Rupley, we will uphold this vision by creating conditions for students to take risks in their learning while also holding students to high expectations socially, behaviorally, and academically. We will strive to deliver our core curriculum with rigor, equity, purpose, and engagement. Additionally, we will model and teach students how to be kind and treat others with dignity and respect. This is how we create a sense of belonging in our school.
While all of the things mentioned above are of high importance in order to make a school successful, none of it means anything without trusting partnerships with our parents and guardians. I pledge to always offer a listening ear to hear your perspective on our students’ education and work alongside you in order to make this year a positive experience for our students, staff, and community. I look forward to working with you as a team to support our students and make this year one they won’t soon forget!
Katie Zulauf
Principal, Rupley Elementary
