Dear Hemlock/ACE Family,
With great pleasure, I write this letter to you as the
incoming principal of Hemlock/ACE Elementary
School. Even though I have only had limited
interactions with the faculty and parents thus far, I can
already tell that this is a unique and extraordinary
place. I am incredibly excited and honored in
becoming a part of the Hemlock/ACE family and
community.
I arrive at Hemlock/ACE as a seasoned educator and building principal, but in addition to my role as an
educator, I am first and foremost a mother of two and wife to my husband, Malcolm Adams, of almost 25 years.
My two sons, Jordan and Evan, attended VUSD schools for their elementary and secondary years. Both are
Vacaville High School graduates class of 2018 and 2021. Hard to believe I am a mom of adults! I can testify to
“the days are long but the years are short.”
I spent my first year in Texas teaching enrichment classes, similar to the GATE program here in California, and
elementary music for grades TK-6 grade. In 1997, I made Vacaville home and joined the VUSD team of
educators and taught at various elementary schools in our district; Orchard, Fairmont and Cooper. During my 19
years as a teacher in VUSD, I have had the joy of teaching all elementary grades K-6th. I transitioned out of the
classroom to serve Callison as RTI (Response to Intervention) coordinator for two years. The last four years
I’ve been the assistant principal at Fairmont Charter Elementary School.
This summer, I continued my professional development in attending AVID (Advancement via Individual
Determination) and PLC (Professional Learning Community) conferences and look forward to building those
practices at Hemlock/ACE. I am getting to know our facility, our community and familiarizing myself with the
special interests of our school. I view education as a lifelong process. I will continue to learn about
Hemlock/ACE this year and in the future. Most importantly, I bring a belief that the students are at the center of
all school-related decisions. I am excited to bring my experience, openness to learning and child-centered
approach to support our students. Because the relationships between families and the school are vital to the
success of our students, I encourage you to become involved in every way possible. I look forward to the
collaboration and support we can give each other.
I am here to make every effort to help your child reach their fullest potential. I vow to
give my all to our students. I will request the same commitment from our staff and
school community. Together we will continue to move Hemlock/ACE’s students
through a rich learning environment guided with love and support toward a promising
and bright future. This year is full of possibilities and we will make every day count!
Warmest Regards,
Joanna Adams, Principal