Principal's Message

Hello Winslow Junior High School family and friends,

Welcome to the 2022/2023 school year! I am Debra Lopez and I am  the Principal of Winslow Junior High School. As I begin my fifth year as the Educational Leader of WJHS I am so grateful to be part of the community of learners here in Winslow. 

With each year here at Winslow Junior High, I strive to connect even more with the community and help make our school a welcoming place. I was born and raised in the community of Winslow and am so excited to continue to serve the students in the very school that I attended. After graduating from Winslow High I completed my Bachelor's Degree at Northern Arizona University majoring in Elementary Education. I was then fortunate to be a teacher for the next 14 years here at WUSD #1. I taught 6th grade for 10 years before making the change to teaching 4th grade for the next 4 years.   I made the decision to pursue my Masters Degree in Educational Administration and graduated from Grand Canyon University. I had the opportunity to serve as an academic coach assisting new and veteran teachers in our district. For 3 years I served as the Student Advisor here at Winslow Junior High School before taking on the role and responsibility of Principal at WJHS.

As we move ahead following 2 years of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic it is time to refocus on learning and creating a positive learning environment for all students at WJHS. One thing the pandemic has done is it has created opportunities for our school to provide instruction across various platforms. Our teachers have shown how committed they are to the students of WJHS and as we begin a new year they remain committed to provide even more learning experiences for your student. As we return to this school year, know that we are ready to start teaching and supporting your child as we prepare them to move on to high school. In order for your child to have a successful year here at WJHS we ask that you support them in their academics and attendance. It is very important that your student is in every class, every day. When students miss school they miss out on valuable information. Research shows the chronic absenteeism has a negative affect on student academic performance. This is going to be one area of improvement that we will focus on this year. We ask for your assistance in making sure your student is in school every day unless their is a valid reason for their absence. 

Having worked at the Junior High for the past 8 years, I have seen the development of programs that are focused on student achievement and student centered learning. As part of our program we are providing your student with an environment that takes into consideration the social and emotional needs of a Junior High School student. We are also implementing a built in intervention program to assist your student in the main content areas. My goal is to continue to provide an environment where every student has the opportunity to learn in a safe, engaging, learning environment with supportive staff.  I welcome families to be part of the team in supporting your student and their teachers. It is through the partnership of parents, educational staff and the community that we provide our students with a learning environment that fosters their growth.

Winslow Junior High School has so many opportunities for students to showcase their talents and be part of the community here at WJHS. I encourage every student to be part of our sports program, clubs, or fine arts program. Our campus has over one-third of the student body participating in our fine arts program. Junior High is a wonderful time for adolescents to explore new activities and be part of the extra-curricular program.  My hope is that we can safely return to providing students with this important activities. 

I look forward to the new year and am excited to see the amazing things that our students will accomplish this academic year. Thank you for all of your patience and understanding as we work together during this school year. Let's work together to make it a wonderful experience for your student! We are WJHS.....BULLDOG PROUD!

Debra Lopez, Principal

Winslow Jr. High School

#WeAreWJHS