Lindsay Murray, the new principal at Madison Camelview Elementary School is preparing for the new school year for both her kids (pictured) and the hundreds of students at her school (submitted photo).
As a new school year gets underway, Lindsay Murray is not only getting her own children geared up for the transition from summer vacation back to a school schedule, but she also is focused on making sure the approximately 600 students at Madison Camelview Elementary School have a successful start to their 2026-27 school year.
Murray will begin the new school year in a brand-new position in the Madison School District – as principal at Camelview, after serving as assistant principal for four years at Madison Simis Elementary School, then as principal for the past three years. Drawing on her experience as both an educator and administrator, she says that the first month of school is crucial as families head back to school and get back into successful routines.
“I think the biggest thing is to remember that kids are resilient, and oftentimes I think parents are so much more concerned than the kids are,” Murray said. “They’re excited. They might be nervous and have the butterflies to go to school and see their new friends, but the biggest thing you can do is a parent is to make sure that you are on a schedule. Summer is different…getting back into a school routine where they are going to bed at a consistent time, waking up at a consistent time about a week before the year starts can be really helpful.”
The principal added that oftentimes she sees kindergarten and first-grade parents having a challenging time envisioning the drop-off experience and encourages families to practice that process.
“It is OK to contact the school and see if you can drive through the parking lot and practice getting out of the car in the morning, or the student carrying their backpack into the school,” Murray said. “And then letting them have some ownership… letting them pick out their new shoes or their new backpack, that can make them feel a little bit more special.”
Other easy tips for parents: make sure that your child has shoes that they can tie by themselves; make sure that they can open and close their own lunch box; always label their belongings; and for nervous students, place a photo of yourself and the family in the student’s backpack, “Then, if they’re feeling nervous, they can just look at it and know that you care about them,” Murray said.
In the Madison District, the first day of class is Tuesday, Aug. 11, and at Camelview, Meet the Teacher events will be held the day before – a perfect opportunity to do a “dry run” for the first day of school and a chance to get to know the teacher, drop off supplies and explore the student’s classroom, Murray said.
The broader community also has the ability to contribute toward a successful school year through volunteer opportunities, “Whether you are someone who wants to come have lunch with students and support their social and emotional wellbeing or maybe support their reading through tutoring; we have an Art Masterpiece program if you like the arts and want to share your passion with the students – there are tons of ways to volunteer,” Murray said.
And the principal is eager to get to know Camelview families and neighbors. Those who are interested in donating resources to the school or supporting the school community in other ways are always welcome to reach out to her.
The Madison District has a vision statement: “Inspiring passion for learning and leading in an ever-changing world.” But what inspires Murray?
“Oh my gosh, you made me emotional,” Murray said. “I am inspired every day by my kids. I am a much more empathetic leader and educator now that I have children of my own, and I see the world through their eyes a little bit, and being motivated to make sure that they have a great experience and that the world that we are setting them up for is going to be one that they can contribute positively to and they feel welcome in and included in – that’s what motivates me. I aspire to make sure that the next generation of students can have the same wonderful educational experiences that we did.”
