Welcome to the Chestnut Grove Elementary School website. Thank you for stopping by.
My name is Rebekah Higgins. I am the principal at CGES. I want to welcome parents and students to our school. We've got a lot of exciting things planned for the 2022-2023 school year. We want to make this year the best yet for learning, growth, and excellence in the classroom.
Let me take a few minutes to introduce myself...
What do you love about your job?
In one word: Relationships! I love getting to know and growing students, watching them learn and grow. Supporting teachers and staff, encouraging them as they are making an impact in our students' lives. Working with parents to help them realize the importance they have in their child's education.
What personality traits do you contribute to your success?
I genuinely love all people, and I am in your corner to support you. Everyone who walks through the doors of CGES, students, teachers, staff, and parents are worth my time and effort to meet their needs.
What's one thing most people don't know about you?
Growing up, we spent many summers on the Tennessee River. When I was 16, I skied all the way from the Keller Memorial Bridge to the Tennessee River Bridge. It was hard to hold on for such a long time, but once the bridge was in sight, that was my goal and I didn't give up. Every time I cross one of the bridges, it's a reminder that I can do hard things and don't give up when something gets hard.
The best advice you ever received that motivated you to become an educator/principal?
"You highly value the job God has given you and are in it with your whole heart." Anita Clarke told me this when I was her Instructional Coach, she encouraged me to grow as a leader, and she modeled on a daily basis what it means to be a leader who makes a positive impact. She and my husband Rickie are my biggest encouragers and are a big reason why I am a principal today.
What is one character trait you hope to instill in your students and why?
Our faculty recently adopted six core values for the upcoming school year: wisdom, initiative, cooperation, self-control, kindness, and resilience. If I have to choose one, I would say resilience - everyone needs the skill set to never give up and be able to get back up when something gets you down.