August 4, 2026
Dear friends of the Hutchings community,
It is with great excitement that I greet you as the new Principal of Ruahmah J. Hutchings Elementary School! I am humbled by the opportunity to officially join the Howell family, and I cannot wait to meet each and every one of you, and to begin building strong relationships across our community.
I am originally from Norfolk, VA, where I both wrestled at Old Dominion University and spent three years in law enforcement. I have also coached wrestling for nearly 20 years--most recently, at Saline High School. I received a Masters in Education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (ELMAC program) and I moved to Washington, D.C. to teach at the top-performing elementary school with D.C. Public Schools (out of 120 schools). At the same school, I spent time teaching both Kindergarten and 5th grade and in school leadership, as an ELA & Math Instructional Coach and as a Dean of Innovation & Instruction.
I earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA and I researched effective reading strategies to study the implementation of a new reading program (Wilson Fundations) at my school, while examining the positive changes in student achievement. Since then, I have spent time leading positive change as a school principal at all levels: Elementary School (Ann Arbor), Middle School (Flat Rock), and High School (Oak Park).
Through it all, I’ve learned that leadership is a behavior, not a role, and it begins with relationships. I am thrilled to be returning to the most critical level of teaching and learning: Elementary school. For now, I challenge you to reach out to me, to seek me out for a conversation, tell me a story about the community, and to ask me questions. I am interested in your needs and your worries. What is working and what is not? How can we partner to ensure all students are successful? Remember: Your concerns are my concerns. And we are in this together. As an instructional leader, I look forward to spending my time in classrooms and leading the learning within our school, as well as learning from the wonderful staff we have at Hutchings. I am excited to build and foster relationships with each of you in the coming days, months, and years and I am eager to honor and enhance the current culture and traditions by focusing on how to make our systems more efficient. Let’s work smarter, not harder.
Anyone who knows me understands that the foundation of who I am is children. I have 4 children of my own: Landon (9), Carter & Ella (7), and Cameron (3). In school, it’s my belief that we need to have an unconditional positive regard for children and elementary school enables us to provide the most joyous school experiences of all. Our decisions need to be made while looking through the lens of taking care of children, which means looking out for the best interest of students at all times. Our students deserve to be challenged and engaged in meaningful work that will spark their interests and to have their social and emotional needs met through engaging and personalized instruction. I also know that the very best thing I can do for our Huskies is to love and support their teachers and I am here to do just that.
See y’all soon!
Dr. Charles Chalfant
Principal
Ruahmah J. Hutchings Elementary School