919 | NORTH RALEIGH
BUILDING FROM THE GROUND UP
NEW NORTH RALEIGH CAMPUS PRINCIPAL OPTIMISTIC, POSITIVE ABOUT TODAY’S STUDENTS
T
hough the structure has been open as a swing school since 2019 for two schools undergoing major renovations, the Wake County Public School campus at 12004 Strickland Road in North Raleigh is finally home to one of the System’s newest elementary schools. Barton Pond Elementary officially opens in August for the first time to about 400 K-5 students. And Stephanie Costa is understandably happy to be at the helm. “I am most excited about having a once in a lifetime opportunity to build from the ground up,” said Costa, Barton Pond’s new Principal. “And I intend to recruit staff from a variety of backgrounds who share a vision of creating a loving environment focused on the growth of our students, and the engagement of the school community.” Costa said she wanted to be an educator from a young age. “As a child, I played teacher, in high school I volunteered in the art program for students with special needs. And I received a North Carolina Teaching Fellowship and later became a “Teach for America” Corps Member,” she said. She attributes her decision to pursue a career in education to her community-oriented church, which provided opportunities to serve others. Costa also credits Ari Cohen – her former Principal at Leesville Elementary, who encouraged her to explore school leadership, which led her to secure a North Carolina Principal Fellowship. Most recently the Principal at Brassfield Elementary, Costa is a North Carolina native, educated at UNC Chapel Hill, and she now leads a staff of 60. And she’s very eager for the new traditional school year to begin.
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I maintain a strong focus on growing students from where they are and believe we must work to support both their academic and socialemotional development. STEPHANIE COSTA Barton Pond Elementary Principal
“I am extremely optimistic about the positive impact that our youth will have on our society,” she said. “I encourage students to share their visions for how they will make the world a better place. Students have an innate sense of empathy, kindness and social justice. It is our job as adults to nurture this compassion and support our children in becoming the incredible adults they envision themselves to be.” While forging a unique identity and traditions at the new school, Costa said she will also honor the traditions and experiences that students, staff, and families had at their prior schools. “I maintain a strong focus on growing students from where they are and believe we must work to support both their academic and social-emotional development,” she stressed. “This will re-engage families into the school and…provide support needed to open lines of communication between parent, student, and teacher.” The new Principal has a lot of pride in the new facility and its positive impact on students. “Our campus was designed and built with collaboration in mind,” she said. “All of our hallways open into beautiful joint spaces. And glass retractable doors – plus walls of windows – provide an abundance of natural light and a view of the woods that surround us.”.
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Summer 2022
