Our Principal

Greetings Chestnut Ridge Middle School Families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year, where the “Cougars will reach new heights of excellence!” I am thrilled to welcome you and your family to Chestnut Ridge Middle School, where our goal is to provide the best educational experience possible. It is an honor to serve as your Principal. As I begin my third year in this role, I am eager to join each student on their academic journey and support them in reaching their fullest potential.

At Chestnut Ridge Middle School, we strive to empower students to develop intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. Our dedicated teachers provide high-quality instruction designed to meet the diverse needs of our learners. They utilize a variety of methods, such as thinking maps, small group instruction, targeted learning objectives, and consistent, meaningful feedback to engage students and promote growth in academics, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Our teachers are committed to helping our students reach their full potential. Our objective is to equip students with the skills necessary to thrive in a constantly evolving world and become successful global citizens.

As Principal, my foremost priority is to guarantee that every student has a positive academic experience and understands their potential to achieve any goal they set. At Chestnut Ridge Middle School, we are dedicated to nurturing each student's growth and confidence. We strive to create an environment where students feel safe to take risks, ask questions, and challenge themselves. Our success as a school is significantly bolstered by the strong support from parents, staff, district administration, and the school board. By working together, we can continue to foster a culture of growth and progress.

While I am new to this specific role, I have been part of Chestnut Ridge Middle School for 22 years. The genuine respect and care shared among staff, parents, and students continually impresses me. This creates a wonderful community at our school, and I am proud to be a Cougar. Let's make the 2024-25 school year a fantastic one!

I look forward to working with you as a team. Together, we will support every student at Chestnut Ridge Middle School in reaching their goals and having a successful school year! I am confident that together, we can create the best possible learning environment for our students. Let’s continue to work together to ensure our students’ success! As a family community, we can maintain our momentum to #KeepRising2theTop.

Bernidette Grant
Chestnut Ridge Middle School Principal