After the resignation of four administrators at the end of the 2024 school year, there have been feelings of uncertainty about new leadership. Following an extensive interview process, Dr. Sara Delgado was hired as principal for the 2024-2025 school year. Delgado will now be transitioning to a position in the central office as the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning, which now leaves some students and staff questioning how the school will adapt to new leadership with the back-to-back changes.
With that said, board president Colleen Worden believes that Delgado has made positive contributions to North that have improved student engagement, such as bringing back the All-Night party to North, senior parking space personalization, and powderpuff football. She believes this will not only benefit the future of North, but also create a sense of morale and community within the school.
“She fostered a renewed focus on student engagement, strengthened collaboration among staff and brought innovative ideas that energized the school,” Worden said. “Although her time was short, her impact was meaningful and we are confident that the strong foundation she helped lay will benefit North moving forward.”
Building off that idea, Spanish teacher and administrator course taker Mandolyn Grattan believes that the North community is already strong, and that the new principal will be able to fit right into that culture.
“I think that it is always difficult when we have to have a shift in leadership because everyone has a different vision, but I also think that it is an opportunity for us to welcome someone into our culture that could potentially help us grow and that we can help grow as well,” Grattan said. And so while I do think who leads the building helps determine the culture, I also think that we have a very strong community here and that hopefully whoever takes the position as principal next will enjoy the family atmosphere, strong culture and strong sense of community that we’ve developed.”
However, junior Ben Truza voices his concern that another change in leadership may make students, particularly juniors, feel unenthusiastic about connecting with new leadership yet again.
“It will change how our school is operated,” Truza said. “But it will also allow students to engage with and get to know the new principal.”
Although he believes it might be a difficult transition with new leadership, Delgado is hopeful that the new principal will be more permanent and hopes they will make sure students feel a sense of belonging at North.
“I know when Dr. Tuttle, as the superintendent, is selecting the next principal of North, one of her main areas of focus will be somebody that she thinks will be here for an extended period of time,” Delgado said. “So I’m sure as part of the interview process, she will be looking at people’s background experiences and future planning to ensure that that doesn’t happen.”
Looking out for more than just North, but also the district as a whole, Worden believes that Delgado’s skills are more than qualified for this new role, especially with her prior experience as Executive Director of Teaching and Learning for Fraser Public Schools.
“When the Curriculum Director position became available, Dr. Delgado’s unique skill set made her the ideal candidate to move into a role that benefits all students across the district,” Worden said. “The District has been without a full time curriculum director position for a while and we are fortunate to have her move seamlessly into this position of leadership.”
