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Principal Henderson

Principal Henderson and his kids

Dear Highland Families,

Thanks for visiting Highland’s website. Allow me to introduce myself as the proud principal here at Highland. I have served here since 2016, and it is my huge PRIVILEGE to lead the team here at Highland. I got my start in education as a classroom teacher, working with Kindergarten, 3rd grade and 4th graders near SeaTac Airport. When my wife and I were married in 2006 I moved to Lake Stevens and worked for three years at Hillcrest Elementary, right here in Lake Stevens assisting two awesome principals there. Fast forward seven years as a principal (two at Lakewood Elementary in Smokey Point and five at Beverly Elementary in Lynnwood) and here I am among YOU ALL at Highland, at the time of this writing in my eighth school year here and my fourteenth as a principal. How time flies and what a joy!

Important things to know about me:

  • I live in Snohomish with Mrs. Henderson, a second grade teacher turned stay at home mom.
  • I have two amazing children, Grant who attends his neighborhood elementary school in Snohomish, and Molly who is a busy preschooler who keeps us on our toes. 
  • I love coffee. Like I really love coffee.    
  • I grew up in Renton and am happy to have my entire family living within one hour from me.  
  • I have wanted to be a school principal since I was in Kindergarten. Literally.  
  • I love camping, house projects, cooking, singing, hosting, writing, speaking, and reading in the big leather chair in the corner. 
  • I am passionate about seeing our students grow as learners and little human beings.   

As we reiterate every day in our video morning announcements, The Highland Way is how we do business around here.

The Highland Way

Today I choose to be a responsible learner who shows respect
to everyone and is safe with my words and body.

My part in this is to make sure that everyone is safe and everyone is learning. If your child ever makes a choice that is unsafe or that hinders learning, you will receive timely communication from me or from my amazing team which includes our dean of students, counselor and behavior support paraeducator. As well, we will do our best to contact you if your child is on the receiving end of unkind or unsafe choices of a peer. My hope is that we can always WORK TOGETHER to solve problems as they arise, remembering that we are all players on the same team, with the same goal of helping each child learn, grow and succeed.  

In terms of the teaching and learning around Highland, your child is learning from the best of the best. We have an amazing team. As one example, work that began at Highland being highly thoughtful about the way we teach children to read and write spread to the entire Lake Stevens team completing a 52 hour course of study in the science of reading, and to the adoption of new, cutting edge curriculum in each classroom in the district, from grade PreK-5th grade. 

All my best,   
Mr. H 

Ryan Henderson, Principal  

When I can be of help, please don’t hesitate to be in touch. My direct line is (425) 335-1590 and my email address is ryan_henderson@lkstevens.wednet.edu.