New vice principal at Sonoma High School
Stockton educator Chris Rauschenfels is the new vice principal at Sonoma Valley High School, School District Superintendent Louann Carlomagno announced Tuesday.
He comes to Sonoma from the Lincoln Unified School District in Stockton where he taught science and astronomy as well as varied site leadership assignments for the past 11 years.
“I believe we have again found an administrator who brings passion and compassion as well as academic insight and a range of interpersonal skills to a leadership position,” Carlomagno said.
As a classroom teacher he was selected in a nationwide process to participate in NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Airborne Astronomy Ambassador (AAA) Program. The program provided support in enhancing science, technology, engineering, and math as well as the unique opportunity to take multiple flights in the SOFIA 747SP aircraft to observe this operating astronomical facility first-hand and interact with scientists, engineers, and flight crews.
He has also been an athletic director, and coached basketball and football at the high school level. In college he was a two-time All American basketball player and two-time Academic All-American.
He participated in the statewide rollout of the Next Generation Science Standards and served as a trainer/coach/mentor for his district’s Reading Apprenticeship program focused on reading improvement in the content areas.
Carlomagno said Rauschenfels impressed the interview panel with his strong interest in creating and building positive supportive working relationships between and among staff and students; in working with staff to further the implementation of Common Core content and teaching strategies; and in the value he puts to creating academically inclusive school environments.
Kathleen Hawing, principal of Sonoma Valley High School, said, “With the positive attitude and academic experiences Chris brings to SVHS, our administrative team and the school at large has added a valuable onsite resource.”
