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Oak Valley Middle School is meeting the needs of its students

Posted on May 1, 2012
OAK Final

An effective school climate that supports all students, honors effort, and guides the youth of 92127 to be prepared for higher education is what Oak Valley exemplifies. The way the Oak Valley school community members feel about themselves and others and the way they treat each other every day, reflects the culture of the school. Oak Valley, the only public middle school serving the 92127 community, prides itself on emphasizing positive expectations, recognizing differences, and providing choices. Along with high expectations for behavior by focusing on the six pillars of character, the Falcons are a team committed to helping all students thrive.

Students are at the heart of Oak Valley and meeting their needs is our first priority.
                    ~OVMS Mission Statement

 

Q&A with Sonya Wrisley

Principal, Oak Valley Middle School

Can you give us a brief history of Oak Valley Middle School  
I was asked to open Oak Valley seven years ago.  We opened this school with the idea of ensuring that our students feel safe, happy and want to be at school to learn.  I was able to hire staff who love children and want to be here!

Can you give us a brief summary of your background and experience?  
I grew up in Claremont – in Los Angeles County, went to Cal Poly, then moved to Germany for a year after college where I learned, and became fluent in, German.  When I returned,  I taught elementary school, then moved to San Diego to be assistant principal.  I was hired by Poway Unified School District in 1993.

How and when did you become Principal at Oak Valley Middle School? What attracted you to the position?  
I had always been motivated to build a school that would focus on what the student needs to feel safe and connected.  So, when the district asked for interest in the new school, I put my name in!  I left Mesa Verde in June 2004 to begin building the school and the vision.

What/who was your inspiration to become an educator?  
Since I was four years old, I have wanted to be a teacher.  My father was a great teacher, and loved his job.  Then in first grade, I had Mrs. Perkins.  She was the most loving and kind teacher, and she had wonderful ways of helping us learn.  She became my fourth grade teacher, and the rest is history!

What do you consider your greatest contribution to schools/districts you have worked?  
I hire well.  As a principal, it is my most important duty to find the best people to work at a school.  When I do that, the school improves.

What do you enjoy most about being Principal at OVMS?  
I am completely surrounded by excellent staff members (remember, I hire well) and the students and parents are wonderful.  Everyone makes it a pleasure to come to work each day.

What do you see as the opportunities and challenges as the Principal of Oak Valley Middle School?
Oak Valley is now looking at how to improve our school for our 21st Century students.  We are working on strategies and tools that will truly prepare our students for the 21st workplace.

Can you describe one of your most memorable moments as Principal at OVMS?  
Every day is a memorable moment.  I love coming to work each day; my staff is happy and ready to help children, our students are kind, caring and enjoy being at Oak Valley and our parents are supportive and involved in our school.  It makes each day special!

What is your vision for the next 5-10 years for the school?  What are your short and long-term goals?  
Our District is currently exploring ways to help our students be prepared for the 21st Century workplace.  At Oak Valley, we are looking to explore how student learn today, and make instructional adjustments to help today’s student.  Our students are being raised with technology, and we need to incorporate this type of learning into our school.
What type of assistance is needed at OVMS, and how can the readers of 92127 Magazine get involved?
We love having volunteers in our school and classrooms.

What would you like to share with the parents of current students on their role at OVMS?  
Parents should keep a close relationship with their middle school student, keep lines of communication open, and try to remain neutral and non-judgmental as their students share stories of what is happening in their lives.  The middle school children truly need to be connected with their parents.

What would you like to share with parents of incoming students on what they should expect as an OVMS parent?  
We have built Oak Valley to be warm and welcoming to everyone.  The transition is much easier for the students than it is for the adults.  Everyone will be fine.  If there are challenges, we are here to help the students and parents.  They can always contact us for advice or help!

How would you describe the tone on campus day in and day out and what sets OVMS students apart from other students?  What does it mean to be an OVMS Falcon?  
Again, how we have built the school to be a warm, welcoming and friendly place.

How will the projected opening of the K-8 School in the Fall of 2014 affect OVMS?  
Right now, Oak Valley is the largest middle school in the District.  We are projected to be over 1,400 next year.  Hopefully, the new K-8 school will help reduce these numbers.

Savannah Tennes
         Student Body President

What sets Oak Valley Middle School apart from other schools?
Oak Valley Middle School truly lives up to its motto: “Students are the heart of Oak Valley and meeting their needs is our first priority”. Students’ input is continually sought from creating expectations to rules set-up.

What is your role as a leader at OVMS?
As Student Body President, I am able to reach out to students and be their voice to the adults in school, the school district and the community. I am also there to be a good role model and influence others.

What words would you use to describe being a Falcon?
Being a Falcon means to be a good citizen, to be caring and not afraid to be different. A Falcon is trustworthy and respected by students and teachers alike.

Who is your favorite teacher/leader/mentor at OVMS, and why?
There are many awesome teachers in OVMS. However, these two teachers come to mind:

  • Mrs. Jeannine Ugalde: By asking thought provoking questions, students are encouraged to think outside the box and apply the concepts to their daily life. She is an ideal educator.
  • Mr. Martin Reisert: As my teacher in 6th grade, he welcomed me into the Falcon family and accelerated my transition to middle school. I appreciate his humor and how he encourages students to take their dreams to greater heights.

What are your future goals?
I got accepted into The Hotchkiss School, an independent boarding school located in Lakeville, CT, for high school. So many changes await me when I begin school in the fall – the weather, being on my own away from home, challenging classes, meeting people from around the world – it is both exciting and scary at the same time. I hope to major in civil/structural engineering and minor in architecture at a top tier college such as Stanford. I would also like to be the first female president.

Sangeeta Vishwanath
         Lacrosse, YSAF, Newspaper Club

What sets Oak Valley Middle School apart from other schools?
The staff truly cares about you and makes sure you feel comfortable at OVMS.  The teachers are fair and always put students first. This belief that they live by is embodied by our school’s mission statement: “Students are at the heart of Oak Valley and meeting their needs is our first priority”.

What is your role as a leader at OVMS?
I help people as much as I can, and I recently gathered a couple of friends to start an online newspaper group.

What words would you use to describe being a Falcon?
You’ve got to be caring, nice, and compassionate to be one.

What do you like most about attending Oak Valley Middle School?
Everyone is really nice and caring about each other. There aren’t any black sheeps here.

Who is your favorite teacher/leader/mentor at OVMS, and why?
I think that would be Mr. Downs. He is funny, kind, and cares a lot about his students.

What are your future goals?
I plan to go to Berkeley and will most likely choose the following careers – author, photographer, teacher, or a translator, or possibly a scientist. I don’t exactly know right now what career I’ll choose in the future.

Nicolas Fulton
         Technology Assistant

 What sets Oak Valley Middle School apart from other schools?
What sets Oak Valley apart from other schools is that it is so fun and provides everyone with cool classes to be in.

What is your role as a leader at OVMS?
My role as a leader in OVMS is to be nice and help teachers/students with anything that they would need. I constantly help many of my teachers with any technology problems that they could have.

What words would you use to describe being a Falcon?
Words that I would use to describe being a Falcon is that everyone is nice, trustworthy, and responsible.

What do you like most about attending Oak Valley Middle School?
The thing that I like most about Oak Valley is that it has many nice teachers that are helpful to their students. Another thing that I like is the computer lab that is open during lunch. You can go there to finish projects that were assigned during class.

Who is your favorite teacher/leader/mentor at OVMS, and why?
My favorite teachers in Oak Valley were my two teachers that I had in 6th grade. Those two teachers were Mr. Vitti and Mr. Reisert. They had really fun classes to be in, and I am sure that my past classmates would agree.

Can you give us a brief funny story or incident that has occurred while you’ve attended OVMS?
Every day is fun at Oak Valley, there is not just one point in time that it is, mainly because of the fun staff and teachers.

What are your future goals?
My future goal is to become a professional programmer and to have my own company one day.

Grant Hylton
              Baseball, Basketball, Jazz & Honor Band

What sets Oak Valley Middle School apart from other schools?
It just feels like one big family. You can talk to any of the adults on campus if you need something.

What is your role as a leader at OVMS?
I am well rounded, friendly, and relate to different groups of people (academics, athletics, music). Many times I find myself being a mediator between my friends.

What words would you use to describe being a Falcon?
Trustworthy, Friendly, Loyal.

What do you like most about attending Oak Valley Middle School?
Block schedule. Having two days to do homework is very nice and helps me to manage my time. You also don’t have every class every day.

Who is your favorite teacher/leader/mentor at OVMS, and why?
Mrs. Doyle, my 6th and 7th grade homeroom teacher. I feel like she is a person that I can talk to about anything.

Can you give us a brief funny story or incident that has occurred while you’ve attended OVMS?
My favorite and saddest moment was when our Vice Principal, Mr. Rashad, left the school. At the end of the day, we gave him a 1,400-person group hug in the middle of the quad.

What are your future goals?
I hope to maintain a 4.0 GPA through high school. My ultimate goal is to play baseball at UC Berkeley, like my dad did.

Oak Valley Middle School At A GlancePrinciple Sonya WrisleyDear 92127 Community Members

Established: 2005
Type: Public Middle School
Principal: Sonya Wrisely
Teaching Staff: 49
Students: 1,386
Grades: 6-8
Location: 16055 Winecreek Road, San Diego, CA 92127
District: Poway Unified School District
Superintendent: John P. Collins, Ed. D
Campus: Suburban
Colors: Blue and Silver
Mascot: Falcon
Website: www.powayusd.com/pusdovms
Phone: 858-487-2939

Years Principal at OVMS:
7 at Oak Valley, and one extra year to build the school

Education:
Bachelors Degree-Liberal Studies, with an emphasis on teacher education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Masters Degree in Education Leadership at Cal State San Bernardino

Professional Background:
From the beginning, elementary school teacher, assistant principal at a middle school in Escondido (2 years), principal of Canyon View Elementary in PUSD (5 years), principal of Mesa Verde Middle School in PUSD (6 years) and now Oak Valley

Family:
3 children, six grandchildren

Hobbies/Interests:
running, hiking, kayaking, gardening

I have some good news, though it is also bittersweet. On April 10, 2012, Dr. Robertson, Associate Superintendent of Learning Support Services, and I announced to the Oak Valley Middle School faculty and staff that I will be recommended to the Board of Education as the principal of the new K-8 school, currently referred to as  “School 39”.  The school will be located immediately north of Del Norte High School.  This assignment will become effective July 1, 2012.

I opened Oak Valley in 2005, and the past seven years have been wonderful.  I am very sad to leave the Oak Valley family!  However, it is a great honor to be asked to open yet another new school in this area, and I look forward to planning and developing a school that will serve children from grades K-8.

I very much appreciate the support given to me by the Oak Valley parent community and feel very proud of the ways the Oak Valley school community has worked together in so many positive ways to benefit our students.

Warmly,
Sonya

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