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Dos Pueblos Principal Shawn Carey Stands on Principle
It has been awhile since I was in the principal’s office. Fortunately, Shawn Carey, the new principal at Dos Pueblos High School, is of the new guard — she’s warm and approachable, even though she’s been up since 4:50 a.m. with her newborn.
Counting students, faculty and staff, the school at 7266 Alameda Ave. has 2,500 people on campus with this freshman principal confidently at the helm.
Carey comes from a family of educators, including both of her parents and a sister, who work as a teacher, school administrator and guidance counselor, respectively. Out of the gate, she was fairly determined to pursue anything but teaching, but Carey says she was hooked once she began working in the public school system.
During her late teens and early 20s, Carey spent a fair amount of time in Latin America, including Argentina, Peru, Ecuador and Chile. While there, she noted that private education was the default for anyone with even middle income. She said she also regarded the public schooling offered in those countries as superior to much of what is available in the United States. When deciding to put her focus on the U.S. public sector, Carey said she had her moment of questioning her priorities.
“What would I march on Washington over?” she asked. “My answer was leveling the playing field through quality public education.”
Since 2008, Carey served as an assistant principal at Dos Pueblos, where she oversaw curriculum, instruction and assessment, athletics, student discipline and safety, and coordination of staff development, teaching and learning.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in education from UCSB. Much like Williamsburg, Va., where she was raised, Carey said Santa Barbara offers the small-town feel she values.
Her instructional experience includes 10 years as a Dos Pueblos teacher of advanced placement world history, modern world history, international baccalaureate theory of knowledge, EXCEL and Spanish.
Carey’s transition to administrator from teacher came with some internal debate. Wanting to remedy the issues of inequality in public education, she realized she may be able to bring about more positive change from the top instead of from the trenches.
When asked how high school life has changed in recent years, Carey said that not only has it become incredibly competitive academically, but that students must be deliberate and strategic in their high school career to ensure entry to college.
“It’s not enough to earn a high school diploma anymore,” she said. “Both universities and most two-year community colleges have raised their entrance expectations and demanded we better prepare our students.”
Additionally, as a result of the access to information via the Internet, teachers’ roles have dramatically changed in the past decade.
“Teachers used to provide most of the information, but now we need them to function more as guides on how to analyze, and apply the sea of available data,” Carey said. “They help students discern if information is trustworthy and how to problem solve, which is harder and a more highly-skilled job.”
As principal, Carey has a litany of responsibilities. In addition to student curriculum, behavior and test scores, she’s also responsible for the facilities and the bureaucracy that comes along with running a small city. She says that while statewide budget cuts have been challenging, both community sponsors and parents have really stepped up to close the gap.
“Parents are invaluable,” Carey said. “They staff the traffic committee, after-prom party and senior week. We couldn’t do it without their help.”
She said the other chief challenge in her new role is to close the achievement gap. Recent test scores offer promising numbers, but she says there is significant work ahead to level the playing field and raise student scores across the board.
“It’s a complex problem that requires a multipronged solution,” Carey said.
Her approach includes massive parent outreach and research into other schools that have devised successful systemic support models for an underperforming population.
When she isn’t working, Carey said she enjoys camping and traveling. She and her partner had a baby in the spring, so most of her free time is spent playing mom. Despite a very full plate, Carey appears ready to tackle it all.
— Noozhawk contributor Jenn Kennedy can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Click here to see more of her work.
Comments
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» on 09.04.10 @ 01:05 PM
Funny the way stories are presented. I spent a third of my adult life in Latin America, traveling in 16 countries and living in four of them. My children attended schools there. I never would have come to the same conclusion that Ms. Carey did. Their cultures and governments are different from our own. I guess it all depends on what you’re after. To be more like them, hmm? If I sound skeptical, I have my reasons.
My children also attended DP, and I have had interaction with Ms. Carey. And it wasn’t a positive experience. Personally I found her to be arrogant and dismissive, and not at all interested in our concerns. We were treated as if we were the problem, not the school. I know others who recently had similar experiences. So if what she found in a third world country brightened her heart, what does that mean for us?
If my experience is any judge, and just like activist judges who legislate from the bench, I believe she will impose her personal view of the world on those around her, and subject our children to her narrow world view. Dictators are bred in the third world. On the other hand we should be thankful that we live in America and that not all DP teachers march to the beat of her drum. Though I expect that more will come of this now that she’s in charge and she works to impose her will.
My only hope is that she doesn’t treat other parents the way we were treated. I hope she recognizes what it means to be in America and not try to impose values from a third world country on our children here. Then again, maybe I’m wrong? Maybe we misinterpreted the whole situation and she really took our concerns to heart? Only time will tell the whole story.
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» on 09.04.10 @ 06:15 PM
Socialjay, thank you for your insight. I have a child that will be attending DP next fall (2011). We were wondering about Ms. Carey… we will be keeping our eyes and ears open this year. I’m hoping others will pipe in and share their insight - good or bad.
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» on 09.05.10 @ 07:03 AM
It is near impossible to give every parent what they want from a public school, so you will always have someone come away with a negative experience. I retired from teaching at DP two years ago, and when I heard the faculty pushed to have Shawn Carey lead them, I knew all would be well. Shawn is an exceptional teacher and will excel in her new position as well because she has worked with and advocated for students at all levels of accomplishment. She cares deeply about their success and will do all that she can to see the entire student body and staff perform at their best. Present and future families who choose DPHS as their preferred secondary school will be rewarded with an excellent experience. Pay no mind to dissenters. They didn’t get what they wanted, most likely, and they are a very small minority. You just can’t please them all.
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» on 09.05.10 @ 11:37 AM
My family and I have had only positive experiences with Mrs. Carey. My son was in her class when she was teaching at San Marcos, and since we moved to Goleta and found her at DP she has been nothing short of excellent to my kids. I find it ironic that the same group of parents that were protesting the Just Communities presentation at Goleta Valley now find themselves at DP. Hopefully they will see the light and find out how wonderful of a principal she is.
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» on 09.06.10 @ 02:58 PM
I have worked at Dos Pueblos with Ms. Carey for 13 years. In my opinion, the key word to describe her is “integrity”.I am thrilled to have her as our principal and I am confident that our school will only continue its academic greatness with her at the helm. If the first two weeks are any indication, this will be an amazing school year for all involved.
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» on 09.07.10 @ 12:57 PM
I strongly agree with the person who said the word that best describes Ms. Carey is “integrity.” As a community member working to support the schools, my experience with her has always been positive. She has consistently proven herself to be an exemplary leader who is both open-minded and committed to strong principals of equity and respect for all students and their families. She has gained the trust of many students, parents, and teachers because of her ability to listen, be fair, and seek creative, innovative solutions to complex problems. We’re lucky to have her in this new role!
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» on 09.07.10 @ 07:59 PM
I cannot begin to tell how much our family is thrilled to have Ms. Carey as our principle at DP! Our daughter (who was enrolled in the IB Program)has gone onto college and our son is now enrolled as a sophomore. Shawn taught our daughter Central American history and related it well and fairly) to American history and culture. We have found Shawn to be one of the most caring teachers and gifted people who works in the area of education. DP and its teachers deserve a great principle like Shawn. Given the broad support of Ms. Carey by subsequent commenters (and his unusual divergence into the judicial system as a parallel), the first commenter should look to himself before complaining about Shawn.
Signed, a VERY grateful DP Parent.
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» on 09.08.10 @ 07:12 AM
» goletaguy on 09.07.10 @ 08:59 PM
A voice of dissent, or the bandwagon. Which one takes more courage? Just like you, all I can relate to is my experiences. And yet, you dismiss mine off-handedly, reprimanding me for speaking out. We also have two boys in college. And it had nothing to do with Ms. Carey.
There are many teachers at the school, and they all don’t see eye-to-eye with her. In fact, our issue was related to this disparity, and she admitted as such. So until you walk the road I’m on, please dispense with the holier-than-thou criticism. Even a rose garden has thorns. Which was my point in the first place.
My primary concern was the praise given by Ms. Carey of Latin American schools. Having first-hand knowledge of this, my wife and I were appalled that she would come away with that perspective. The only good schools are private, expensive schools, that only a minority of kids go to, and the classroom ratio is much smaller than ours here. So my question for you is, is it appropriate for a U.S. high school principal to laud education in a third-world country over our own?
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» on 09.08.10 @ 07:37 AM
I am appalled that goletaguy is focusing so much on a remark about the quality of Latin American schools. So what?? Carey stated she is interested in quality public education and that is a problem? Goodness, you certainly picked on a really big time issue, didn’t you? And for your information, a school principal will never have 100% agreement with her staff.
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» on 09.08.10 @ 08:07 AM
Sorry goletaguy, I meant to refer to socaljay in my previous remarks.
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» on 09.08.10 @ 10:16 AM
Socaljay,
I find it funny that you talk about courage while posting comments anonymously. I’ve been a teacher at DP for fifteen years and this is the most excited I’ve seen our staff about the direction our school is going.
Do you know that near 90% of our teachers signed a letter to the board in support of Ms. Carey being hired as our principal. Do you know anyone who has a 90% approval rate.
You sound like a parent who didn’t get what they wanted and now has decided to throw rocks anonymously from the back row. How transparent and pathetic.
Todd Ryckman
Social Studies Teacher
Dos Pueblos High School
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» on 09.08.10 @ 03:59 PM
Mr. Ryckman, Funny you should mention that.
Are you really that surprised that someone would want to stay anonymous in an environment like this? I know for a fact that not everyone is happy, teachers, students, and parents alike. People I know personally have communicated this to me. But when this is the response given when a concern is raised, why would they subject themselves to the fallout?
You sir are the answer to that question. You mirror the party line and exemplify the exact behavior that was exhibited by Ms. Carey. It is true that my wife and I did not get the result we were looking for. But that doesn’t make us wrong. It just means we’re powerless to do anything when the system rides roughshod over those of us who have concerns.
Be as it may, I do wish you all the best. And that your coming school year is a successful one.
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