Dear Old Forge High,

It is with great excitement that I write this letter of introduction to you as the new Principal of the Old Forge Junior/Senior High School.  I am honored to have the opportunity to lead a school with such persevering students, an extremely dedicated staff, and a supportive school community.  I feel very fortunate to be part of this school and to support the students and families. Dr. Gatto, Mrs. Boyce, and I are working hard this summer to make for a seamless transition.

I have worked with students ranging from Kindergarten through 12th grade while in a variety of roles. I have been an Instructional Mathematics Coach (K-12), 7-12 Mathematics Educator, 7-12 Technology Educator, and Assistant Principal k-12.  I am thrilled to further my skills as an educational leader in the Old Forge School District and to work with you as a partner in education to ensure your child's success.

On a personal note, my wife of wonderful 13 years, Amanda and I have lived in West Wyoming for over 11 years. My son Owen will be going into third grade and he is growing everyday.  I was born and raised in Hanover Township and graduated in 2000.  After 9/11, I always had a desire to serve our country and finally took that step in 2004 when I joined the United States Navy.   While in the United States Navy, I was a Machinist Mate on the Nuclear Submarine USS Michigan, SSGN 727.  This was the most impactful five years of my life as I learned about work ethic, my abilities to learn and react under pressure, and how to interact with various people.  In 2009, I was honorably discharged from the Navy with a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Two Admiral Letters, among other awards.  However, in 2009 our economy was in a recession and finding a job was impossible.  In January 2010, I decided to attend King’s College for a Secondary Education-Mathematics degree.

Upon graduation from King’s College in 2013, I furthered my education with my Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 2017 and then earned my Principal Certification K-12 in 2022, also from King’s College.  The last two years as Assistant Principal to Mrs. Boyce and Mrs. Egan has been fruitful and an amazing experience and I look forward to putting those lessons learned to use and growing more as your Principal.  

I view education as a life-long process and expect that I will continue to learn much about the uniqueness of Old Forge this year and in the years to come.  Most importantly, I believe that students are at the center of our school.  I am excited to unite my experience, my openness to learn, and my child-centered approach to support our students.  Since the relationships between families and the school are vital to the success of our students, I encourage you to become involved in every way possible.  Something that has stood out over the last two years is that this is OLD FORGE and TRADITION LIVES HERE! Traditions bring together students, faculty, staff, families and alumni to participate in shared experiences, creating a sense of connection and belonging.  

Our motto for this coming school year is, Confidence Breeds Success!  Only you can decide whether you can or you can’t, but if you believe in yourself and work towards whatever goal you have decided, classroom and/or field, you will succeed to the degree that you apply yourself!  I look forward to continued success this school year!   

Mr. Michael Griffith Principal Old Forge Jr./Sr. High School