Principal's Message
Greetings Preschool Families,
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! It is truly an honor to serve our HUSD Preschool Programs as your Principal. We are all very excited about the new school-year, where classrooms once again will be full with activities and ideas that challenge and inspire our young scholars. Our amazing teachers and educational staff work hard to create an exceptional learning environment for our students. Please know that you have my commitment to creating a preschool program that fosters communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, innovation, and positive cross-cultural competence. I consider HUSD Preschool the perfect place to do the most important work in the world and educate our children right from the start.
Over the past 20 years, I have served in a variety of teaching and educational leadership roles. I earned my Bachelor's degree from UCLA, my Multiple-Subjects Teaching Credential and Spanish Bilingual Authorization from Dominguez Hills University, and my Master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University where I studied Educational Leadership and obtained my Administrative Credential. This is my third year serving HUSD’s Preschool Programs. I have served as an administrator in HUSD for the past 10 years beginning at Jacob Wiens Elementary, Hemet Elementary, and now Hemet Preschool Programs. I have also worked as a district-based English learner instructional coach and through this work, had the pleasure of serving all elementary, middle, and high schools in our district. I am also proud to share that my educational journey began as a preschool teacher which sparked my love for teaching and later went on to teach Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grade.
As your principal, please know that relationships and community engagement are very important to me. Throughout the year, exciting things are happening in our classrooms and on our campuses! We encourage you to get involved by joining our parent groups, volunteering in your child's classroom, and taking an active role in your child's education. Your time is the best gift you can give to your child. You are your child's most important teacher. The preschool years go quickly, but they are among the most important and fundamental years of your child’s life. Did you know that 90% of brain development happens before kindergarten? It is my desire to keep the focus on your child’s development including early learning, health, family well-being, attendance, and doing whatever it takes to help ALL our students be successful and enjoy coming to school each day.
All of us at Hemet Preschool are eager and excited to begin what promises to be an amazing year. We will continue to provide academic and social experiences for our young scholars that will help them build relationships while making real-world connections. As your Principal, it is important to me that everyone who steps through our doors is excited to be here and everyone who calls feels welcomed and listened to. Thank you for choosing Hemet Unified School District and allowing me and my team to work with your children each day. Embrace, Educate, Empower; Every Student, Every Day!
In partnership,
Melina Serna
Principal
Hemet USD Preschool Programs