Principal's Message

Message from the Principal

Hello Foothill Families! 

As the summer days start to wind down, we can feel the energy building for the 2025-2026 school year. This can be a time of both excitement and nervousness as we anticipate the changes that come with every new beginning. 

We offer a heartfelt welcome to our new families, and we look forward to reconnecting with returning families. It's truly a privilege to be part of this caring community. I am thrilled to start my second year as Foothill’s principal. 

My first year here showed me what makes Foothill so special: the incredible dedication of our staff, the unwavering support of our families, and, of course, the fantastic energy and curiosity of our students. Watching the enthusiasm our young learners bring to school as they grow and thrive every day is the best part of my job. Supporting the adults who care for them is a close second. 

As we kick off this new school year, my focus is on building strong connections with all of you as we create an engaging school experience for our students. Your voices matter, and I want to hear your ideas, concerns, and celebrations. Please don't hesitate to reach out. You can always email me at dstewart@saratogausd.org or call the front office to schedule a time to chat. My door is open to you!

Our front office is now open to serve you and answer any enrollment questions. Our district teams have been hard at work getting things ready for the first day of school. Our garden area has been revamped, with the addition of raised planting beds and pavers. Construction on our new roof is wrapping up and should be finished soon! We are appreciative of the many people who keep our facilities in great shape for our students.

On the following pages, you will find some important information to help prepare you for the start of our new school year.  We are here to answer any questions.

• Welcome New Staff: We are pleased to welcome some wonderful people to our Foothill Elementary Team (or to a new position) this year: 
  • Alicia Yount, Admin Assistant to the Principal
  • Bridget Haworth, Front Office Secretary
  • Leah Abel, Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teacher (coming from Saratoga Elementary)
  • Adriann Bacon, Speech Language Pathologist (coming from Saratoga Elementary)
  • Brittnie Brotzman, Visual & Performing Arts Aide
  • Matt Grenier, PE Teacher
  • Haley Foster, First Grade Teacher (coming from Saratoga Elementary)
  • Hannah Pfannenstiel, Fifth Grade Teacher
  • Jeffery Mercado, PE Teacher
• Class Assignments: Class assignments will be posted on August 12th at 4:00 p.m. These will ONLY be posted virtually on Parent Square.  
• First Day of School: The first day of school is Thursday, August 14. This will be a full day of school for 1st through 5th grade students. TKers and Kindergarteners will have a minimum day and will dismiss at 12:10 p.m. every day through August 29.

PTA Welcome: See the PTA flyer in eNews for information on PTA events! Our PTA has planned many community events for Foothill families.

• Kinder Splash is Wednesday, 8/13, from 10:30-12:00 p.m. on the Kindergarten playground. TK & Kindergarten families will meet our teachers and principal and get a tour of the school. We'll have snacks and a vendor present offering fingerprinting services for any parents applying for volunteer clearance.

• All are invited to join us for the First Day Coffee, starting at 8:45am on Thursday, 8/14, in the MultiPurpose Room. Hear from our Principal, our PTA (Parent Teacher Association), SEF (Saratoga Education Foundation) and meet up with new and old friends! 

• The Ice Cream Social will be Friday, 8/15, in Foothill Park from 4:30-6:30 p.m. All families and staff are invited. We'll have lawn games, a DJ, t-shirt sales, and an ice cream truck. Please join us!

DAILY START AND END TIMES 

• Drop Off Procedures – Safety First! Thank you for your patience and courtesy.
  • Drop off begins at 8:15 a.m.; please respect this drop off time, as student supervision begins at 8:15 a.m. and not earlier.
  • On Foot: At this time, families are welcome to accompany their students to the blacktop and stay with their children until the teacher arrives to bring the students to their classes. 
  • By Car: Parents wishing to drop off or pick up their child from school without leaving their vehicle must do so through the traffic queues that lead into the school parking lots. Drop-offs are only allowed in the designated drop-off zones. During pick up and drop off times, all vehicles entering the parking lot must do so through the traffic queue. Vehicles should stay to the right to allow through traffic to pass. Please be mindful of allowing other vehicles and pedestrian traffic to cross safely. Once in the school parking lot, vehicles should pull as far forward as possible before having their child exit or enter the vehicle. Have your student enter or leave your vehicle only in the designated zones.
  • Parents intending to leave their vehicle should park their vehicle in a designated visitor parking space in the school parking lot or on city streets. STAY IN YOUR CAR when using drop off lanes.
• Pickup Procedures:  
  • Students waiting for parents are to remain in the supervised pick up areas near the parking lots.  Please pick up your student promptly following the end of the school day. Students on school grounds after dismissal must be supervised by an adult guardian.  

School Absences: Please use the following email address when reporting student absences: fesattendance@saratogausd.org

School Calendar: Please follow this link to our 2025-26 student calendar. 

Visitors: All parents and visitors must check in at the front office before entering any school building.

Volunteers: If you would like to volunteer, please complete the required volunteer documents found on our SUSD website. 

Thank you for your partnership. The Foothill team is looking forward to a wonderful year of learning and grown for all!