Habits of Mind

Habits of Mind is a term that is often referred to as critical thinking skills. An over-arching philosophy delves into creating a capacity for meaningful lifelong learning.What does that mean for Palmer Way Elementary school?

There are many levels to consider. Beginning with the culture of our school; we foster behaviors and attitudes our students need for success in life. Using high levels of thinking and questioning skills, such as Bloom’s Taxonomy and implementing school-wide academic vocabulary, are a few examples of ways our school culture embraces key cognitive strategies.

Another level to consider is adult and staff growth and development. Palmer Way’s teachers take pride in creating, imagining and innovating novel pathways to student success. The value of thinking interdependently is embeded in our core beliefs; perpetuating our “cumulative purposeful effect”.

Our mission statement echoes this…We believe” to fully educate a student, teacher need to do their best during the temporary time together and to care just as much the educational experiences that the students has before coming and experiences that the student will have after leaving. We believe that the job of the classroom teacher is to operate solely in the present with his or her immediate charge is to deny a school the opportunity to prove a cumulative purposeful effect.”

Turning up the Heat!

At Palmer Way, we have adopted the 212 philosophy and you will see it in everything we do. 212 the extra degree is a booklet by S.L. Parker. Although on the surface the philosophy is a simple one, it has incredible implications. Parker shares that “applying one extra degree of temperature to water means the difference between something that is simply very hot and something that generates enough force to power a machine.” This will be our ongoing mantra. Our staff will define what it means to us as we work towards creating successful learners. Not only do we have highly motivated teachers, we understand that each and every one of us can make a difference. Additionally, we recognize that we we are ultimately responsible for our results.

Hello Palmer Way!

Dear Palmer Way Staff, Families and Friends,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share my excitement of joining your school community as the new principal Palmer Way Elementary School. I feel fortunate to be a part of a school culture that is focused on student learning, is committed to high expectations, innovation and collaboration. It is my intention to carry on these important traditions and practices.

I am no stranger to this community. As a matter of fact, I am a 3rd generation National City resident. My husband, children and I all attended schools in the National School District.
After attending Olivewood Elementary school I attended National City Junior High School and then went to Sweetwater Union High School. I then received my AA from San Diego City College and transferred to SDSU. I have a BA in Behavioral Science and a MA in Educational Leadership. My future goals include obtaining a Doctorate in Educational Leadership.
Professionally, my teaching career began at Olivewood Elementary School. After teaching for over a decade, I decided to pursue administration. With a heavy heart, I left National School District to gain administrative experience. My first appointment was at Valley Elementary, a Dual-Language school in the Poway Unified School District. I then transferred to Meadowbrook Middle School. Although it was a very difficult decision to leave National School District, I found the opportunity to learn and grow professionally to be quite beneficial.
On a personal note, my husband is Robert Hernandez. He works here in our fine city with the National City Fire Department. We have two beautiful boys, Jonathan who is 21 and Joshua who is 18. Both are graduates from Sweetwater Union High School and are pursuing college degrees. Jonathan is attending Colman College and will get his AA in Graphic Design in August and Joshua will be attending San Francisco State University in the fall.

Soon I will begin meeting with various members of our learning community to learn more about the unique strengths, traditions and practices of Palmer Way Elementary School. These conversations are just the start in creating a roadmap for the school’s future. I look forward to meeting Palmer Way families in the coming months. With my “open door” policy, I think you will find me to be focused, honest and passionate about student success. I look forward to working side-by-side with you to continue to build an exceptional school for our students.

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Sincerely,
Deborah Hernandez