Penn Wood Welcomes New Principal

The West Chester Area School District welcomes Dr. Michael Garvin as the new principal of Penn Wood Elementary School. Dr. Garvin moved into the role when Dr. Ellen Gacomis announced her retirement after 44 years as an educator.

The 2020-21 school year marks Dr. Garvin's 17th year in education. He began his career as a teacher in the Kennett Consolidated School District before moving to the Oxford Area School District. He spent the majority of his career teaching fourth grade at the Downingtown Area School District.

Dr. Garvin says relationships, student safety, core values, and lifelong learning lie at the center of an effective school community, which he believes the West Chester Area School District is.

"This district's commitment to students and the community is evident. The district's mission, 'Educating and inspiring our students to achieve their personal best,' is engrained in the culture," says Dr. Garvin.

What does Dr. Garvin love the most about working with children?

"Kids are the best! They keep things simple, and as an educator, I have found that the better relationships you have with your students, the harder they will work. I always had high expectations for all my students and provided them a space to make decisions on how they wanted to learn. Students thrive when they know that their teacher will always be proud of them, no matter what.

A lifelong resident of Chester County, Dr. Garvin and his wife reside in Landenberg. The couple has two elementary school-aged daughters, and a dog named Lola. Dr. Garvin likes to travel, read, hike, coach his daughter's lacrosse and field hockey teams, and simply loves being a dad!