New assistant principals at Fallbrook High to aid in strengthening student success, teacher collaboration

The new school year is well underway at Fallbrook Union High School, and new students, teachers and administrators have begun the process to assimilate into the school culture, all while looking for a way to make a positive mark on the Fallbrook High atmosphere.

Two individuals who are looking forward to making a positive impact are Dennis Perez and Dr. Stephanie Osowski, new assistant principals who have been contracted to help principal Larry Boone run the Fallbrook Union High School (FUHS) campus.

Osowski, who served as summer school principal at Fallbrook High, explained that FUHS administration decided that using a team approach would be most effective to address all department needs and tasks required to run the high school.

“We looked at our strengths, and we wanted to make sure our school is efficient and effective at helping students perform at high levels,” said Osowski.

Perez, who previously worked at Chaparral High School as a teacher on special assignment for discipline, began working at FUHS in March. With his background in discipline, administration, individualized education plans (IEPs), and educational planning, Perez believes that he will be able to make a difference in individual students’ experiences at the high school.

“I came on board with excitement when I saw what Fallbrook was doing,” said Perez. “I looked at [district superintendent] Dr. Hugo Pedroza, and got excited to apply for this position. As I got closer to understanding the goals of Pedroza and <assistant superintendent> Jose Iñiguez, I realized I was 100 percent aligned with what they wanted to do.”

This decision was still hard to make, even though the transition would be positive, said Perez.

“It was scary at the same time; I was in a comfortable place, and was building to be in Temecula for a while,” he explained. “But when you see a great opportunity and great match, I knew I wanted to come here and make a difference. I could take the experiences I had in the classroom – 20 years in education, English language learning and discipline – and wanted to contribute. It was a very easy call.”

Osowski had served as a special education teacher and head of the special education department at Fallbrook High before taking her administrative position, said Boone.

Osowski believed that she could take strategies used in the special education department and apply them to the whole school, and she wanted to help more than those students who were in her department.

“As someone who has been here a few years, I noticed a culture shift that focused on the fact that any student can learn at a high level,” said Osowski. “I am here for my students and want the best for them. My goal has been to push kids as high as they can go.”

Though the role of assistant principal has not always been easily defined for those who are not in education, both Perez and Osowski have a clear vision for what they plan to do at the high school.

“We are here to be leaders and support the principal with running the daily operations of the school,” said Perez. “Through our lens of practices, we are able to make decisions of what is best for the kids. We are instructional leaders, disciplinarians, communicators, and reliable leaders on campus. The assistant principal job is immense.”

Another element that the assistant principals will help with is whole response student intervention throughout the school.

“We want parents to come to us with questions and participate in school events as much as they can,” said Osowski. “We are encouraging feedback and holding many conversations with parents. We are not just saying ‘I hear you,’ but take action based on that interaction. As a teacher, I always welcomed the parents who were highly involved with their kids. They held me accountable.”

Osowski also believes that her new role as assistant principal will allow for a strong relationship with teachers.

“Being a teacher jumping into administration was not difficult,” said Osowski. “I have great relationships with teachers because I have been in their shoes. When we have a conversation, it’s as teacher to teacher. While the title has changed, those relationships haven’t.

Perez believes that the role of teacher is in the middle of a transition, especially as students entering high school come with new needs and questions.

“These students have grown up with digital devices,” said Perez. “We have to understand who they are as people and how they come into the educational system with particular needs. As assistant principals, we need to make sure our kids get the best education by working with everyone. There is no one on campus that we don’t work with and extend ourselves to. It is a lot of work, yes, but we see kids grow to their potential.”

The school year may have just started, but there is already a distinct focus shift in the classrooms, said the assistant principals.

“In classrooms, there are more teammates, teachers getting together to create common assessments and successful lessons, and a sharing of common things that will make the experience better,” said Perez. “The school has really honed on what rigor looks like, and what it means to critically think and raise a level of awareness, which allows for highly engaged kids who have application of what they are learning to real life experience.”

“Some of the things I’ve seen during walk-throughs in classes include one simple change – desks are set up in pods of threes or fours,” said Osowski. “Teachers want their students collaborating, and the teacher mindset has shifted to facilitators of learning rather than standing and delivering direct instruction.”

Though he had not worked with either Perez or Osowski before, Principal Boone said he has been impressed with their dedication.

“Over the past month, they have both been hardworking and fantastic,” said Boone.