School District Announces Two New Assistant Principals for Gunn High

News from the Palo Alto Unified School District:

Superintendent Kevin Skelly is pleased to announce he will recommend to the Board of Education the appointment of Heather Clary-Wheeler and James Lubbe as Assistant Principals at Gunn High School. 

The recommendation will be presented at the June 17 Board meeting.

Clary-Wheeler and Lubbe replace Trinity Klein and Kim Cowell. 

Clary-Wheeler shared, "I am excited at this opportunity to become part of the Palo Alto Unified School District and to serve at Gunn High School.  As a member of the Titan Team, I aim to support each student on their path to becoming college and career ready.  I truly appreciate being selected as a new Assistant Principal at Gunn." 

Clary-Wheeler joins PAUSD from San Lorenzo Unified School District where she served as Assistant Principal at Bohannon Middle School for the 2013-2014 school year.  

Prior to being in San Lorenzo, Clary-Wheeler served as Vice Principal, Principal for Extended Learning Programs, Instructional Coach, Guidance Learning Advisor, and teacher of English Language Arts for Fresno Unified School District from 2008-2013. 

While in Fresno Unified School District, Clary-Wheeler has coordinated Special Education, English Learner services, Regional Occupational Programs, Youth Court, and guidance services.  Clary-Wheeler has also taught at the college and adult school levels in English, Business, and Communications.  

Clary-Wheeler earned her BA in Psychology from California State University, Sonoma, and earned her MA in Cross-Cultural Teaching at National University.

Lubbe has served Gunn High School for the last six years as the Dean of Students/Administrative TOSA where he coordinated standardized testing, the English Learner program, emergency and disaster planning, and the Camp Everytown program.  

Additionally, Lubbe has served as the High School Summer School Principal for the previous three years and has been active on the Palo Alto Drug and Alcohol Community Collaborative and the Health Council.  

Prior to joining PAUSD in 2008, Lubbe served as an Elementary Physical Education teacher and Summer School Principal in Santa Clara Unified School District.  From 2004-2007, Lubbe served in the San Mateo Foster City School District, first as a Mathematics and Physical Education teacher and then as a Dean of Students/Title 1 Coordinator.  

Lubbe earned his BA in Humanities with an emphasis on education and mathematics from the New College of California, San Francisco, and his MA in Educational Administration from California State University, San Francisco.

He shared, “I've enjoyed working at Gunn, supporting students, and building relationships in the community for the past six years as the Dean of Students. I am excited and honored to continue working at Gunn and the District in my new role as Assistant Principal.” 

Dr. Skelly commented, “A strong school leadership team is a cornerstone of any effective school.  I am delighted to have these outstanding educators join their new principal, Dr. Denise Herrmann, as Assistant Principals at Gunn.”