Dear Cortina Families,

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year!  I am pleased to continue serving the Cortina community as your principal.  During my 24 year journey in education, I have served in a variety of roles from being a paraprofessional, a classroom teacher, an instructional coach, a dean, and an assistant principal.  Each role has provided me the opportunity to grow and continue learning while challenging myself both personally and professionally.  Working at Cortina is truly an honor because I get to spend my days with the most amazing students, parents, and an incredibly talented and dedicated staff. 

 

I am confident that your child(ren) will be in good hands with the teachers and staff at Cortina.  Our approach to working with you and your child will be based on collaboration and a commitment to ensuring individual student growth and success.  When students enter our doors, they will be loved, encouraged, and engaged in meaningful learning experiences. As a staff, we believe that high expectations, integrity, connections, and accountability for ourselves and for our students are what contribute to a successful school experience.  When students leave Cortina, our goal is for them to be confident, inquisitive learners who are empowered to think critically, solve problems, and who demonstrate compassion and kindness towards others.

 

As an Arizona Native, I appreciate the beauty that our state has to offer, but I also enjoy traveling and adventuring around to discover new places with my husband.  During my free time, I can be found running, gardening, playing the violin, trying new places to eat, reading, and relaxing with friends, family and our fur baby.

My door is always open.  Please feel free to contact me with any celebrations or concerns you may have at any point during the school year. When we work collaboratively together, your child's educational experience will be enhanced.  I look forward to being able to welcome students and their families back to our campus for Meet the Teacher on July 21, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  It is going to be a fantastic school year!  Let's go, Tigers!!


Sincerely,
Kelly Papke
Principal
kelly.papke@husd.org