Dear Kokanee Staff, Families and Friends,
My name is Joel Fagundes, and I am incredibly honored to introduce myself as the principal of Kokanee Elementary! This is my sixth year in administration at Kokanee and I'm excited to continue this wonderful journey. I graduated from Western Washington University with a BA in Elementary Education Studies. My journey in education began in the Sedro-Woolley School District where I taught for a few years before relocating to Bellevue. In Bellevue, I spent a couple of years as the Athletic Director of the Boys and Girls Club before returning to the classroom. While working as an athletic director, I completed my Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Leadership also from Western. In Bellevue, I taught at three different schools and completed my administrative internship.
My educational journey has given me the opportunity to work in a variety of positions in multiple schools. Although it is nearly impossible to communicate all I’ve learned along the way, my beliefs as an educator can be summarized by the following key ideas:
- High Expectations - I believe ALL students have great potential and ALL students can learn at high levels.
- Sense of Urgency - What happens in our classrooms every day is incredibly important! More than at any other time, our students need and deserve a high quality education where time is maximized and excellence is the norm.
- Relationship - A basic human need is to know and be known. Valuing and understanding others is at the heart of all things. Our greatest opportunity for success can be found when we learn, support, risk, and celebrate TOGETHER!
- Joy! – What could be more joyful than spending our days with enthusiastic little learners? Not only do we get the opportunity to share in a substantial portion of our students’ “todays,” we get to significantly impact their “tomorrows.”
I am looking forward to helping guide your children in their journey at Kokanee Elementary!
With kind regards,
Joel Fagundes
