Oceanside Pirates Alum Takes Helm of School

OCEANSIDE, CA — Former Oceanside High School student, teacher and assistant principal, Teresa Hill-Collis, has been named the principal of Oceanside High School, the Oceanside Unified School District announced.

Hill-Collis was raised in Oceanside, graduated from OHS — "Once a Pirate, Always a Pirate!" — and has been at OHS for the last 15 years. She started as a resource specialist, worked her way up to assistant principal, and was most recently named the interim principal for OHS at the beginning of this school year.

“Teresa has proven to be a visionary leader who puts her students’ educational needs first and foremost,” said Oceanside Unified School District Board of Education President Mike Blessing. “She comes from Oceanside, knows the Oceanside community, and will make sure our kids graduate college and career ready.”

Her educational career began shortly after graduation from OHS when she joined the Air Force and served as an academic instructor in charge of conducting military education programs for airmen, noncommissioned officers and civilians.

Hill-Collis earned a bachelor's degree in sociology, a master's degree in teaching and secondary education, and a master's degree in special education from Chapman University. She also has a master's degree in educational administration from Concordia University.

She will begin her tenure as principal immediately, the district said in a news release issued Friday.

“For me, it is all about the kids,” Hill-Collis said. “As a life-long educator in Oceanside, I see the challenges our kids face every day. It is my calling to make sure they have the skills and abilities needed to succeed in life.”

Hill-Collis replaces former principal Ron Pirayoff, who left the district for a director-level position with the San Juan Capistrano Unified School District, according to Lisa Contreras, spokeswoman for the Oceanside Unified School District.

Photo courtesy of OUSD