What Makes Sutter so Special?

Greg Purcell, Sutter principal from 1993 – 2007:

Sutter Middle School is an incredibly special place!  It is more than a school; it is a “belief.” The belief is that “Sutter Nation” is a community of students and adults striving each day to be as a great as possible.”

From the day I took over as principal in 1993, I believed that we as a school community, could be an academic beacon in the city of Sacramento. By hiring teachers and support staff who wanted to be a part of something bigger than any individual, we were able to create a learning environment that attracted students and families from all over Sacramento.

Sutter continues to be “the school of choice” for students and families who want to be a part of something great while continuing to build the Sutter legacy.

Meena Jensen, Sutter teacher from 1985-2012:

I think Sutter students, by and large, feel loved at this school. You can see it in their faces and hear it in their voices as they rush up and down the stairs, plough through the hallways, light up a classroom, plunging head and heart first into the tragicomedy that is the middle school experience.

Great leadership lifted this school from the ordinary to the special and now what is special is ordinary here: a school where most adults care strongly about doing their best for students and expecting the best from their students and where most students respond by thriving.

Marisa Louie, Sutter graduate 2004:

The two years that I spent at Sutter Middle School were some of the best years in my educational experiences. I was surrounded by motivated peers and confident staff who worked hard to ensure that our classroom was a reciprocal learning community.

I felt valued by my teachers and the administrative team and most importantly, I felt safe. By getting involved with school athletics, I realized my role in being part of something greater than myself. Through my academic and athletic experiences, I developed a tremendous amount of respect and pride for my school. Nine years later, I’m back at Sutter Middle School in a different capacity and I’m still living the dream.