Dartmouth Public Schools kicked off the school year on August 30. Here's what incoming Principal Ross Thibault has in store for the new year.

Having started over the summer, how has the start of your principalship been?

I'm very excited to be going into the new school year. It's been a busy summer. Recently, we updated the fitness center with new flooring, machines, and free weights.

We had a successful student orientation for the freshmen class, with a 95-percent turnout from the Class of 2021.

Superintendent Bonny Gifford is focused on personalized learning and continued science, math, engineering, and technology (STEM) this year. How will that be actualized in your own schools?

This year, it's more of a planning year. A group of faculty members will be working with the Highlander Institute [of Providence, Rhode Island] to create new pathways for students.

[Highlander Institute is an education nonprofit that works with schools to create personalized learning experiences for students, according to its website.]

I'm excited for that work because we have a terrific faculty, and we're working with Highlander Institute so that for years to come, DHS will be leading in that area.

What are some of your own goals for the upcoming year?

Tardiness. It kind of got a little bit out of control last year. We have high expectations for our students, and that starts with being on time. We hope parents will help us out with that.

How will you spend the first day of school?

I'll be spending the day being highly visible, greeting students at the main entrance. As the day goes on, I'll be visiting classrooms and making positive connections with students. That's going to be a lot of the work this year, getting to know students and members of the Dartmouth community.

How can parents and community members contact you, and keep up with school news?

People can check out my blog by visiting dhstribenation.wordpress.com. Once the school year has started I hope to share pictures and other information about student achievement, events, etc. Also, I do use Twitter and would love for community members to follow me @RossAThibault .