Mission Statement

I am here to . . .

Motivate and inspire students to be navigators in their lives by becoming lifelong learners and socially active citizens. I want children to leave my class with more confidence, compassion, and enthusiasm for life and learning than they entered it. I will teach them the skills they need to know to succeed academically, and the skills they will need to love themselves and others. I want to nurture them and be the person that lifts them up. I want them to feel like they could fly if they put their minds to it. I want to show them the beauty, power and courage inside themselves, even if they don't always see it. I want my classroom to be an exciting adventure land but also a safe haven all at once. I will teach them the skills they need to know to succeed academically, and the skills they will need to love themselves and others. Perhaps I will only plant seeds that I may never personally see flower, but I will not ever give up. As a teacher I have great power to change lives. This power will be humbling, exhilarating, overwhelming, frightening, but exceedingly worthwhile. 

I am ready to accept the challenge of becoming a teacher with my arms, mind and heart wide open!

Mrs. Cruz

Strategic Literacy Instruction (SLI)

Mendel Elementary School 

Email me Charmaine.Cruz@dodea.edu