The San Diego Unified School District didn’t have to look far to fill the principal’s vacancy at Point Loma High School.
Hans Becker, a vice principal on campus since 2008, will move about 60 feet into a far-more spacious principal’s headquarters, where he will take over for the departing Bobbie Samilson.
Becker, who will become the 14th principal in the 88-year history of the Peninsula’s only public high school, was selected by the school district from a list of top-three ranked candidates.
Becker’s background is in instructional theory and special education.
“The Point Loma Cluster of schools is very strong and I’m looking forward to working with the cluster community,” Becker said. “We have new principals at Correia [Jonathan McDade] and Dana [Scott Irwin] and I will be working with them and the elementary-school principals to look at how instruction is delivered at all levels, kindergarten through 12. “My vision is preparing active, adaptive, thoughtful and engaged learners who will succeed in a global economy. I would like to lead the school in the direction of preparing kids for that,” he said. “They have to be flexible in thinking and adapt to their environment that can change consistently.”
Becker said the new motion pictures industries building is an example of Point Loma High’s uniqueness, calling it “probably the only one of its kind in the nation. We are just scratching the surface of what we can do there, how we can tie that into other curriculum and areas.”
PLHS changes in the next year or two are the possible installation of added seating for visiting fans in Pete Ross Stadium, expanded landscaping designed to “soften” the look of the campus and the painting of structures on campus with the same color scheme, according to Becker.
“We believe all students should be successful after high school,” Becker said. “For most, that looks like college. For some, it’s getting right into a career, and Point Loma has a lot of internship programs to prepare students to go right into a field.”
As examples, Becker cited school programs like automotive technology, computer graphic design, music production, video and multimedia production, athletic training and teaching. “Point Loma is a very rich, diverse and comprehensive high school,” Becker said. “We have a lot of fantastic programs going on here. The staff is dedicated and hard-working, and the kids are diverse and work well together. We are always on the cutting edge of trying new things, which has proven to be successful.” ABOUT THE NEW LEADER ON CAMPUS
• Background: Attended University of San Diego High School, excelled in water polo and swimming. • Education: B.A., applied arts and sciences, SDSU, 1992. M.S. in educational administration, National University, 2006
• Credentials: Multiple subjects, 1994; specialist, physically handicapped, 1998; specialist, learning handicapped, 1998; administrative services, 2006; administrative services, level II, 2012
• Career: 1994-2004 — teacher, Lindbergh-Schweitzer Elementary, K-5 special day class; 2004-06 — itinerant teacher for students with physical and health disabilities; 2006 — teacher, Clairemont High School, special education, grades 9-12; 2006-08 — vice principal, Nye Elementary School, K-5; 2008-13: vice principal, Point Loma High School
• Family: Lives in Tierrasanta. Married to Julie, a counselor at Marshall Middle School; daughters Kyla (8), Avery (6), son Miles (6 months)
• Hobby: Professional musician
• Quote: “The focus is always on instruction, whether it’s collegiate or kindergarten. You have to look at what is being taught, how it is being taught, and then how it is being learned.”