Principal's Message

A Message from the Principal

Candace Hugee, Principal Collaborative Arts Middle School | 29Q355

Welcome to Collaborative Arts Middle School (CAMS), where we believe that every young person who walks through our doors carries something remarkable inside them. Our job is to help them find it, name it, and grow it. At CAMS, the arts are not an add-on or an afterthought. They are the heartbeat of everything we do. Through music, visual art and dance woven into daily learning, our students develop a voice, a vision, and the confidence to use both.

We hold ourselves to high standards here, and we make no apologies for that. A rigorous, joyful curriculum is not a contradiction. Our students are capable of deep thinking, complex problem-solving, and real academic growth, and we design every learning experience with that belief at the center. When students know that their teachers believe in them fully, something shifts. They begin to believe in themselves. That is the culture we are building at CAMS, one classroom, one conversation, one breakthrough at a time.

We also know that learning does not happen in isolation from life. Our students bring their whole selves to school, and we meet them there. CAMS is built on a foundation of restorative practices, which means we prioritize relationships, repair, and belonging over punishment and exclusion. Every student deserves to feel seen, valued, and safe. Every family deserves a school community they can trust. That is not aspirational language for us. It is our daily work and our deepest commitment.

We are so glad you are part of the CAMS community. Whether you are a returning family, a new student finding your footing, or a community partner joining us in this mission, there is a place for you here. At CAMS, greatness is not a destination we chase, it is something we cultivate every single day, in every child, in every room, in every moment that matters.

With pride and purpose, 

Candace Hugee Principal, 

Collaborative Arts Middle School