Michelle Clayton

Principal’s Message

I am excited and blessed to be the principal of Richard Yoakley School. My career as an educator began as a teacher at RYS. The experiences I gained at RYS allowed me to discover an educational community beyond mainstream public education that changed my perspective on student learning. I was, and continue to be, inspired by the teachers and support staff’s dedication and drive to reach their students, not only academically, but also in ways that met their social-emotional needs.

I am dedicated to serving the students and families at RYS. As the school principal, I will empower and support the RYS faculty to provide a student-centered structured learning environment. Students will be challenged academically in addition to developing behavior management skills that will prepare them for future success.

"Treat a man as he is, he will remain so. Treat a man the way he can be and ought to be, and he will become as he can be and should be." - Goethe