Building Healthy Positive Relationships with our Students at McCormick Elementary
Dear McCormick Elementary School Families,
Welcome to McCormick Elementary School! McCormick Elementary School, Moon Township, PA opened its doors in 2007 and has emerged into a family. What does this mean? It’s a school family comprised of caring teachers, staff, parents and students. Our school community is student-centered as we focus on all aspects of a child’s academic, physical, and social-emotional well-being starting in kindergarten through grade 4. The school’s leadership is dedicated to the noble profession of education and is committed to guiding a school with a unique and personal approach. As a principal, I lead by example, working diligently to forecast our needs for our students and staff while fostering a healthy and safe environment. We as a school team implement our MASD district initiatives, develop our student incentive programs, provide a safe and nurturing environment where teachers lead and students maximize their learning opportunities.
As an educator, I regularly visit classrooms to engage with students, and also during breakfast or recess time. Being visible throughout the school day either positioned at the front door in the mornings or interacting with parents at dismissal time. My philosophy is to practice and foster a transparent, creative, energetic and collaborative community where all members are valued, appreciated and validated.
In the role of school principal, being seen as an educational leader rather than a manager is key. As a leader, it’s important to create a child-centered learning environment modeled by our professional staff members who provide a positive learning opportunity daily inside the school. Teachers regularly extend themselves beyond the classroom walls by coaching, sponsoring a student group, attending community events, visiting a sick child or participating in events such as our PTC Bingo Night. Community service and fundraising efforts are frequently held throughout the year by our Student Council and include efforts to support local food pantries, cancer awareness, shelter animals and back-to-school supplies for those in need.
The McCormick stafulty (staff + faculty) is a team that works together to build morale; support student recognition and achievement throughout the year; building and fostering student-teacher relationships that help children grow, learn and reach their full potential. Every student, staff, and parent counts at McCormick Elementary School and we make it a priority to connect with everyone on a daily basis.
Unique School Identity
McCormick Elementary is one of four elementary schools within the Moon Area School District. Its campus is nestled on 29.2 acres with a playground, baseball and soccer field for community use. Currently serving over 300 students in kindergarten through grade 4, our school is dedicated to educating every student in a respectful, safe, enriching environment through comprehensive programs that inspire excellence, lifelong learning and responsibility. The school is fortunate to benefit from a strong partnership with its families and our local community. We have a professional staff who loves to teach, students eager to learn, and parents who are involved, supportive, and value our educational program.
There is a shared belief in strong academics, socialization, as well as the challenging curriculum at McCormick that supports our children along their educational journey. Our McCormick students are the most important and worthwhile investment for our future. Each child and teacher is unique and has intrinsic worth. We use recognition and appreciation to instill motivation and dedication in our school. Honest, open and ongoing communication promotes trust and mutual understanding. What is the end result? We have built solid relationships, on trust, we have a sense of daily purpose and safety measures that we practice routinely as a team.
High expectations for both our students and staff promote greater student achievement. A quality education provides opportunities and a basis for achieving success. At McCormick, education is a shared responsibility of the student, school, family and community. A few essential elements of our educational process include confidence, competence, kindness and caring, as well as respect and cooperation.
McCormick Elementary has been recognized annually for its outstanding academic performance including earning Achievement Recognition for Adequate Yearly Progress from the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the following years: 2007-08; 2008-09; 2009-10; 2010-11; 2011-12. This recognition transitioned into the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Academics and was awarded in 2012-13 and 2013-14. All Pennsylvania Department of Education recognition banners are proudly displayed in our main hallway. These are a daily reminder for all team members of the high quality educational program and the high expectations that exist for all. In 2015, McCormick Elementary was awarded The National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence for Academic Excellence 2015. As a team, we collectively submitted our application that not only gave recognition to our achievement scores academically, but also presented a glimpse of our family photo album of our cherished memories, our solid programs and our family approach to support our students, colleagues and our parents in the process.
Recognitions and Awards:
- 2024 - Ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Reports for Pennsylvania’s Best Elementary Schools ranking
- 2025 - Ranked #5 by U.S. News & World Reports for Pennsylvania’s Best Elementary Schools ranking
McCormick Elementary School 2025 Rankings: McCormick Elementary School is ranked #1 (2024) and #5 (2025) in Pennsylvania Elementary Schools. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare their students for high school. Read more about how we rank the Best Elementary Schools.
On behalf of Team McCormick, we welcome you to our school. Go Tigers!
Thank you,
Dr. J. A. Moore
Principal
McCormick Elementary School