Hello Hawkins Families,
I am so excited to welcome you to Hawkins Elementary School. My name is Chris McAuliffe and I have been in education for 33 years. I started my career at a private school teaching 3rd grade, before leaving for two years to work as a juvenile probation officer in Detroit. I returned to teaching for the next 10 years teaching 2nd and 3rd grades in Detroit Public Schools. I then joined Oxbow Elementary, in Huron Valley Schools, where I spent 14 years teaching 3rd and 5th grades. I left Oxbow to pursue my dream of becoming an elementary principal, and spent the next two years as the Dean of Students and then Assistant Principal at Lakeland High School. I then went back to Oxbow as principal.

On a personal note, I am married with three daughters. My oldest daughter graduated from University of Michigan, and is now a cardiac ICU nurse at Harper Hospital. At this time she is back in school to become a nurse anesthetist. She was the captain of the Michigan Dance Team (you will find out quickly I am a HUGE Michigan fan). My middle daughter is a dancer fo Royal Caribbean. She has been on the ship Quantum of the Seas out of Singapore for the last year. My youngest daughter is currently in the police academy, and upon completion has been hired by Port Huron Police Dept. My wife, Barb, is an Engineering Manager at Fiat Chrysler where she has been employed for over 30 years. We have been married for 31 years and are now empty nesters. In my free time, I love to build things, and do projects around the house. I am a 6-time All American fastpitch softball pitcher, still pitching out of Port Huron, and am in the USA softball Hall of Fame.

Finally, I am a retired Firefighter after 21 years of service, including being a part of a search and rescue team that worked at Ground Zero.
I think you will find me to be fair, consistent and a strong communicator. I will always put what is best for the students first. I am all about relationships and want to know every child so that I can make sure their needs are met and they are getting the best education possible. This will take time, but I hope you will see I will start from day one getting to know not only the students, but each of you. I plan to be at Hawkins all next week for those of you who would like to stop by to meet me, and will look to plan something in the evening once I get settled in and learn all the ins and outs of Hawkins life. My door is always open to parents; communication is so important. I am excited to become not only a part of the Hawkins Family, but also of the Brighton Community.
 
Happy to Start Our Journey,
Chris McAuliffe
Principal

Hawkins Elementary School
mcauliffec@brightonk12.com