New vice principal for SV High School

The school year will begin with Michael Waters as the new vice principal at Sonoma Valley High School, replacing Paul Tuohy who was selected as the new Coordinator of Student Services for the Sonoma Valley Unified School District.

School Superintendent Louann Carlomagno will officially welcomed Waters to the District at the Board of Trustees meeting on August 12.

Waters comes to Sonoma from the Reed Union School District in Marin County, where he taught English. From 1991-2000 Waters was the English department chair, English teacher, and computer applications teacher at Terra Linda and San Rafael High Schools. Prior to teaching in Reed USD, Waters, a fluent Spanish speaker, was a teacher and administrator in Valencia, Venezuela.

“Michael brings to Sonoma a seasoned understanding of the needs and challenges of managing a comprehensive high school,” said SVHS Principal Kathleen Hawing. “Additionally, he brings a breadth of teaching experiences both within California and internationally that will be a true asset and resource to our staff, students, and families.”

Waters received his Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the College of New Jersey; his single subject teaching credential in English from Dominican University of California; and his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley with a major in English.

“Michael’s enthusiasm for learning, his belief that all students must have access to a quality academic program, and his experience in parent outreach will be an asset to our school,” Hawing said.

Leaving the vice principal post is Paul Tuohy who was recently selected as the Coordinator of Student Services for the District.

Tuohy began in the District as a special education teacher in 1997 and moved into a vice principal position at the high school in 2006. He has a breadth of knowledge and experience monitoring site programs as well as dealing with student support and discipline, said Carlomagno.

“Paul is well-positioned to hit the ground running in support of students and staff, district wide,” she said.

With the full implementation of the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) this year, Tuohy will have primary responsibility for the district’s monitoring and accountability obligations around discipline, attendance, and student welfare. He will also be in charge of creating a District Crisis Intervention Team as well as developing procedures for responding to various crisis situations.

Tuohy will provide direction and overall administration for at-risk students, and have oversight responsibilities for Homeless and Foster Youth as well as Alternative Education and Creekside High School.

“We congratulate and welcome Paul to his new position,” Carlomagno said.