This summer, administrators at Gilroy High School have been working to fill five positions—including the activities director, assistant principal, counselor and two teachers—after staff members left their posts.
“I’ve been in the business for 20 years, and I can’t ever remember having five different staff members from one site leave in one year,” GHS Principal Marco Sanchez said, adding that two people climbed the ranks within the Gilroy Unified School District.
Kanani Pratt, formerly a Social Studies teacher at Gilroy High, became the school’s assistant principal after Christine Anderson moved on to serve as the principal of Rucker Elementary School.
“I’m going from the micro level to the macro level, from the department to the whole school. It’s a big jump and it’s an exciting jump with different responsibilities,” Pratt said. “I’ll definitely miss the intimate interaction with the students inside the classroom. I’m going to be very visible on campus, but it’s not the same as having a captive audience for two hours a day in a classroom.”
“I’ve always enjoyed working with Kanani as the department chair of social studies and our Advanced Placement coordinator,” Sanchez added. “She has been fantastic there and I know she’ll do a great job as an assistant principal. She’s done a marvelous job so far over the summer just helping me hire and fill vacancies for teaching positions.”
Former English teacher, department chair and GHS graduate Ethan Stocks became the assistant principal at Milpitas High School, and former academic coordinator Julio Villalobos is now the assistant principal at Alum Rock Union Elementary School.
Eleven-year GHS veteran and former activities director Jeremy Dirks—also a Mustang—left to accept a position as assistant principal of San Benito High School. According to Sanchez, former activities director at South Valley High School, Chris Leong, will replace Dirks.
“I really enjoyed my time at Gilroy High School,” Dirks said. “To be honest, the place made me into the person I am today and it’s difficult—but I’m looking forward to an exciting new opportunity.”
Though the transition was made easier simply because he’s lived in the Hollister area for the past 11 years, Dirks said he’ll miss the students and staff at Gilroy High.
Stocks, Pratt and Dirks graduated from San Jose State—from the same program—and worked alongside each other at GHS for more than 10 years.
“Their talents will all be missed,” Sanchez said, speaking to the three staff members moving outside GUSD. “We spent the whole summer finding their replacements and that’s been difficult.”
GHS administrators are hoping to hire two teachers this summer—a Social Studies teacher and an English teacher, according to Sanchez.
