Passionate, knowledgeable, and affable, Principal of Esperanza School and Esperanza Learning Center (ELC), Ms. Anne Hellmer, prides herself on building relationships with staff, students, and families to create a positive learning environment.
With over a decade of experience in the education field and in her third year as Principal at Esperanza, Anne has dedicated herself to growing the student population and building bridges between the school program and the community, so students have the opportunity to practice independent living and vocational skills outside the classroom– skills vital to their growth and success after graduating from Esperanza.
“Building up our school program, and even more so, creating ELC, our transition program for students fourteen and a half and older is something that I am most proud of in my time at Esperanza,” Anne says. “With the hard work of our staff and our wonderful families, we are advocating for what is best for our students, which is to provide more programming and support for students with special needs to learn important life skills.”
Since Anne joined the Esperanza family, enrollment has increased, school jobs and academic programming have been created, and she and her team have liaised with several local businesses and community members to increase awareness about Esperanza’s programs.
“What inspires me about our school is the devoted and collaborative atmosphere,” boasts Anne. “We function as a family and as our student enrollment grew and as we added more to our program, our family grew. Our students, families, and talented, yet humble staff are the best part about this job.”
Moving forward, Anne hopes to continue to network with surrounding districts and local businesses, so the community can hear about all the great work Esperanza is doing and to create more opportunities for students. She states, “Before I interviewed at Esperanza, I never heard of the organization, and as an Old Town resident, it was located right in my backyard. After working here for over two years, I am astonished that more people do not know about the great work that we do in all of our programs, and it is a personal mission of mine to spread the word about our services.”
“I’m excited about the future of Esperanza School and Esperanza Learning Center, which is in its first full year of running. I look forward to continuing to support my students, families, and staff, by increasing standards and expanding our programs every year. Building a strong team, connecting with families, and establishing positive relationships with our community members is the key to our success.”