There’s a place in Tulsa that’s all about the golden rules, and about the giggles.

Pearly Elementary has been led by Tessa Cross for the last five years.

“She’s a great principal, she supports teachers, she supports the kids, really wants parents to be involved,” said librarian Heather England.  

Principal Cross’s approach is simple, “I utterly and highly respect my teachers, I think that they should have a voice. I’m not a micro-manager, I’m not ‘the boss.’ I am their instructional leader and I’m here just to guide them, and I can’t do it by myself,” said Cross.  

It’s a view she also carries to her students.

“We’re the polar bear family,” said Cross. “We’re a family, it’s not ‘you’re the students, I’m the principal,’ we’re a family, I’m your momma bear and that’s, seriously what we talk about, is I’m momma bear.” 

Reading and math scores are both up by double digits from the prior year and suspensions are down. Attendance is at 95-percent, even after going through one of the worst flu seasons in years.

It’s a school community principal cross wants everyone to have a voice in, and one that’s full of clubs and opportunities to make new friends.

That’s why Peary is proving to be place your child will prosper. 

“If they want somebody that is going to love and take care of their child during the school day, then they need to send them to here,” said Cross.