Administration
Kristi Castro
Principal
Principal's Message
Dear Grizzly Families,
My name is Kristi Castro and I am so excited to be joining the Highland Grove Family as your Principal!
My journey into education started over 20 years ago and since then I have taught every grade from Kinder to 6th! I've spent over 10 years in the Redlands Unified School District and I feel so lucky to work for a district that focuses on Excellence For All Students. I am a life-long learner and believe the more I learn, the better I can help serve our students.
It is an honor to be at this school and I look forward to partnering with all the students, families, and staff in this wonderful community to help each and every child receive the BEST elementary experience possible. I am here to serve this community and I can't wait to meet all of our wonderful families. I believe in an open-door policy, so please feel free to stop by and say hi! Together we can make this a great year.
Let's be Grizzly GREAT!
Kristine Castro
Principal
Jennifer Knecht
Assistant Principal
Dear Highland Grove Families,
I'm so excited to continue as the Assistant Principal at Highland Grove Elementary! I'm dedicated to using my experience to help our students grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
I've been in education for many years, including 15 years as an elementary teacher, 11 years as an intervention teacher, and two years as an instructional coach mentoring new teachers. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from the University of Redlands, a Master's in Administration from Cal State San Bernardino, and a Reading and Literacy certificate from USC. Having a long-standing connection to the Redlands and Highland area, I am eager to get to know each of you and serve as a resource and partner in your child's educational journey.
I firmly believe in Highland Grove's mission: that all children can learn when we provide a positive, safe, and supportive learning environment. Achieving this goal requires us to work together as a team—with our staff, students, families, and the community. I encourage all of you to stay involved or become more involved in our Grizzly Family, whether it's through volunteering, joining the PTA, or participating in a parent advisory committee. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or ideas.
I hope to see your students at school every day as we embark on another Grizzly Great school year!
Respectfully,
Jennifer Knecht
Assistant Principal
Highland Grove Elementary
Email Assistant Principal Knecht