Principal

   

Dear New and Returning Cottage Grove Elementary, formerly Lead Elementary School Families,

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year at Cottage Grove Elementary, formerly Lead Elementary! Our community welcomes all the new and returning families to our beautiful school as we prepare for the first day of the school year on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. We are especially excited to welcome a new group of Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten students joining us as Cottage Grove Cubs!

We are thrilled to welcome students back to a refreshed campus with a new multipurpose room (MPR), new classroom floors, and a newly renovated blacktop and field. These updates will enhance our learning environment and provide a fantastic space for our students to learn, play, and grow.

I am excited to be here as the Principal of Lead Elementary. I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, by my Jamaican father and my German mother. I attended UCSC as an undergraduate & UCSB, where I obtained my teaching credential and M.Ed. I have been an educator for over 25 years. This is my third year as the principal of Lead and my fourth year as an administrator in the district. I have lived in San Mateo for more than 20 years with my husband and two children.

Please regularly check our website at lead.smfcsd.net. Also, please confirm that we have your most reliable email address and phone number by calling our Main Office at 650-312-7550. You can leave a message on our phone.

We are so excited for your child to continue to be a part of the Cottage Grove Elementary community as a Cottage Grove Cub, embark on this new adventure in their education, and continue to foster relationships with each other and our community!

Sincerely,

Natalie Delahunt

Principal