Greetings Atlantic Highlands Elementary Community,
My name is Lori Skibinski and it is my great pleasure to introduce myself as the incoming principal of Atlantic Highlands Elementary School. From the moment I entered the halls of this special learning community, I felt a profound connection to the environment and wanted so deeply for it to become my new home.
As I embark on my journey as principal, I am confident that my twenty-six years in education and twenty years as a parent will not only provide me with the foundation needed to maintain the level of excellence established by Mrs. Walling, but will aide in propelling AHES even further into the 21stcentury. My prior experiences in education include seven years as an Assistant Principal in a large intermediate school in the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District; as well as nineteen years as an elementary educator in the Carteret Public Schools. During those years, I had the great fortune of gaining diverse experience through serving as a classroom teacher (Gr. 1,2,3,4), a Gifted & Talented instructor, an Academic Skills Interventionist and a Math Teacher Resource Trainer for staff. Beyond my professional world, I have been married to my husband, a lower middle school teacher in Somerset County, for twenty-two years and we have two amazing children. Our son is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater in South Carolina and my non-verbal, teenage daughter with autism attends a special needs school in Ocean County. Having had hundreds of children pass through my life has fueled my passion for creating a learning environment where EVERY individual feels known, valued and supported for the unique person that they are.
Being an educational leader, I treasure the importance of building strong relationships and creating an inclusive learning environment that supports the educational, social and emotional needs of the students, staff and the community at large. My years in education have taught me that success only comes to fruition when schools, families and community members work collaboratively towards a common goal. For this reason, I am highly motivated to begin forging connections with everyone involved in making Atlantic Highlands Elementary School the magical place that it is.
In a few weeks, I will be fully immersed in my new position as principal of AHES. The thought of this excites and energizes me, while at the same time, it humbles me. I am cognizant of the fact that I have very large shoes to fill. Mrs. Walling has been the face of the AHES community for over three decades and her passion, caring and strong leadership skills are felt by all. Mrs. Walling and I are working together closely to ensure there is a seamless transition between leadership and that the upcoming school year will be filled with success and optimism.
Please know that I believe Atlantic Highlands Elementary School is destined for great things and I am honored to take this journey with you!
Yours in education,
Mrs. Lori Skibinski