Hello Rice Families!
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! I am honored and excited for the opportunity to work with the Rice community to support every staff, student, and family in learning, growing, and dreaming big for themselves.
My heart is in education and my purpose is to serve, inspire, and empower those around me. I have been in education for 11 years serving in a variety of roles including teaching 3rd grade, K-5 intervention, teaching 6-8 grade, middle school Dean of Students, and Instructional Coach. I am incredibly proud to be your assistant principal at Rice!
Our staff is an amazing group of individuals dedicated to learning and growing both for themselves and for their students. As a team at Rice, we are committed to supporting the whole child in feeling a sense of belonging and safety where your children are able to be themselves, be honored for who they are, and continue to be valuable members of society. Students are provided opportunities and experiences to find success both academically and socially while demonstrating their brilliance through learning and leadership. We appreciate your partnership throughout the year to ensure we can achieve these goals with and for your students.
I have fond memories of attending Bennett, O’Dea and Boltz as a child and have raised my children here in Poudre School District. I have three adult children who all graduated from Fossil Ridge High School in 2014, 2022, 2023. My youngest is a senior this year at Timnath Middle High School and will graduate in the spring of 2025. They truly have felt and benefited from the Poudre School District mission to Educate Every Child, Every Day. Outside of school I love to visit my daughter who is attending University of Arizona, watch my youngest cheer on the sidelines at TMHS games, watch Colorado sports, and spend time as a family!
I look forward to meeting and getting to know each one of you over the school year. Please know, I am an e-mail, phone call, or sidewalk chat away if there is anything I can do to help or support you and as the year progresses if you find yourself in the building please stop by and say hello!
With gratitude,
Jessica Van Thorre
Assistant Principal
Office: 970-488-8714
Cell: 970-657-0956