New Principal Starts at Kelly Elementary

Melissa Bassanelli, who began the start of the new school year last week at , is guiding the school as it continues the process of offering the .

Bassanelli replaces Deanna Terry, who moved to Colorado, at the school on Moraga Drive. Bassanelli is one of two new principals for Carmichael-area schools in the this year. is the new principal at .

"It's a family here," Bassanelli said last week. "From when I was offered the position, people reached out to me and there's a sense of community pride."

In addition, the school has eight new teachers this year to welcome to the Kelly community.

"It's just people working together for the greater good of the kids," Basanelli said.

If authorized to be a IB Primary Years Program candidate, Kelly Elementary would become the first elementary school in Sacramento County to provide such a program.

Full authorization of a IB PYP school is a multi-year process. The San Juan Unified district’s and currently operate an IB Middle Years Program and IB Diploma Program, respectively.

Students will continue to learn traditional subjects required for standardized testing, but those subjects will be integrated with the new IB program developed by the staff.

The IB program emphasizes inquiry-based learning where students learn to think creatively and critically. It also encourages a global perspective, teaching international mindedness. Bassanelli said that would include foreign language instruction in Spanish.

"We have work to do for the IB designation," she said. "I have an instructional focus that we're going to be goal oriented.

Bassanelli has been with the San Juan Unified district for 14 years, having served most recently as vice principal of Kingswood Pre-K-8 School in Citrus Heights. She has also worked at Mira Loma High.

Bassanelli has a bachelor's degree in social work from the California State University, Sacramento and a masters degree in educational counseling from the University of La Verne. She also has credentials for pupil personnel services and administration.

She said Kelly Elementary is always open for enrollment.