I am very excited to be within the very supportive and involved community at Main Street Elementary School.  I began my career in education at Cabrillo College within the Disabled Student Services Department as a student aide.  After completing two years at Cabrillo, I took a job at the Santa Cruz Toddler Care Center as an administrative assistant while continuing to work through my undergraduate program at U.C. Santa Cruz.  Upon receiving my Bachelor of Arts in American Studies, I took a teaching position in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District as a special educator where I remained for 16 years. In the P.V.U.S.D. I taught at the elementary level in a special day class for students in first through the fifth grades.  I then moved to secondary education, teaching students with severe emotional disturbance, and then teaching as a resource specialist at the junior high school level. After 12 years in the classroom and completing my administrative credential and Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, I decided to move into administration.  For 4 years I was the assistant principal at Aptos Junior High School. In 2018, I transitioned into the Soquel Union Elementary School District as principal of Main Street Elementary school.

 

Access, rigor, and culture are cornerstones of my leadership.  They are the foundation of my vision. I intend to create access for all learners, including students with special learning needs, English Language Learners, and students with exceptional abilities. I intend to develop a culture of inclusion. I will continue to strive to develop an engaging and rigorous curriculum in every discipline at every grade level.  It is my personal opinion that all students have the ability to be successful when placed in the right environment.

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Through the understanding of human development, and specifically brain development, I hope to nurture a culture in which the community becomes a responsible collective entity in the education and social development of our students.  In order for the community to foster this vision, we will need to encourage both students and the adults who support them, and give all the opportunity for new learning that engages, informs and challenges hegemonic views of education.  We must also develop and nurture a collective responsibility that puts what is best for students, and their development, both academically and socially, at the center.

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It is my mission to create lifelong learners, to establish a sense of community, and to encourage and inspire students using a challenging curriculum by addressing access, rigor, and culture.  Through an "Open door" leadership policy, I hope to remain transparent in my intent to support and educate our community.

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I currently live in Santa Cruz with my wife and five-year-old son.  I have also raised two older children ages 25 and 27, both with special needs.  In my free time I enjoy being with my family, playing music, and trail running.