From the Principal's Office

 Devin Carter, Principal

 dcarter@plainfield.k12.in.us

Welcome to Van Buren Elementary!

My name is Devin Carter, and I am proud to serve as principal at Van Buren Elementary. I have worked in the Plainfield Community School Corporation since the fall of 2003. I began my career as a 6th grade teacher at Plainfield Community Middle School and then transitioned into assistant principal at the middle school and elementary levels. During my years as a teacher, I also enjoyed coaching football, basketball, and baseball at the middle school and high school levels. I am fortunate to have attended elementary school, middle school, and high school all here in Plainfield. My wife is an elementary school teacher here in Plainfield, and my two boys attend Plainfield schools as well.

Van Buren is a warm and caring place where all children can learn and grow. Our goal is to develop strong relationships between home and school, working together to develop the whole child, while bringing joy to learning.

During this year, we will work hard to continue the success established at Van Buren by focusing on our community values, exploring STEM education, building a love for reading, and implementing the best instructional strategies to increase student achievement.

We continuously review and revise our programs to align our curriculum with the Indiana Academic Standards. All students are provided high quality core instruction as well as early identification of academic and behavior needs. Collecting, utilizing, and analyzing student data on a regular basis, each child is monitored for success. The goal is to provide a strong academic support and a systematic approach to prevention and early intervention.

Many parents ask what they can do to prepare their child for school. The single most important thing you can do for your child is to read with them. Creating an environment rich in books and a love of reading significantly boosts your child’s learning potential.

We encourage your participation in the education of your child. We have a great PTO, which provides many opportunities for volunteering. You can also be involved at home by talking to your child about school, asking questions, supporting teachers and chaperoning field trips or classroom activities. We welcome parent volunteers!

We have an amazing and dedicated staff! We realize the importance of your child’s education and take that responsibility seriously. My hope is that each day, our students are eager to share about their learning with their families.

Thank you for sharing your children with us! It is an honor and privilege to serve the Plainfield community and partner together with our families.

We are looking forward to a great school year!

Sincerely,

Devin Carter - Principal