Associate Principal Sharon Bartlett is back at Campolindo after working at Miramonte for six years. Due to the retirement of Mr. Mack, the Acalanes School District reassigned Bartlett.
“Most people who know me very well said that I was coming home,” Bartlett explained. Before the switch to Miramonte, she taught social studies and leadership at Campo. She made the jump to Associate Principal when the District moved her to Miramonte.
When Bartlett returned this past summer, not all faces were new ones. Past colleagues, like Principal Kitchens, and former students turned coworkers made the transition easier. History teacher Lindsay Webb-Peploe, a former student, described Bartlett as “very enthusiastic,” and has noticed the her effort to create collaborative relationships with her coworkers. Webb-Peploe said that she has had “positive experiences with her [Bartlett].”
Meeting new people is one of Bartlett’s biggest goals. She said she wanted to get “to know the students and families.” Another goal is to learn how things are done here.
“I think student learning is a whole package,” Bartlett said. She sees students as “whole individuals,” and believes that they learn from every experience. Campo has, she continued, “great students and wonderful parents that are so supportive.” She compared the learning process at Campolindo to “fine tuning a racecar” due to the excellence of the staff and students. She noted how some high schools are not as fortunate.
Bartlett’s love for learning extends past Campolindo. She helps student teachers at St. Mary’s College develop skills necessary for their field, and she is also a member of BTSA, Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment.
BTSA works with newly credentialed teachers to prepare them for their profession. She enjoys contributing to the next generation of teachers, and sees the relationship as a two way street. She explained that the communication with upcoming teachers allows experience to be shared and new ideas brought up.
However, Campolindo is never far from her thoughts: “This is where my heart is, high school.”
Bartlett is not new to the area, as she moved here in 1977. She has two sons, who are Miramonte graduates; a fact which has created interesting conversations about the Cougar-Mat rivalry. She was born and raised in New Jersey with a father in education. A Rutgers College graduate, she said she liked the small college advantages while being a part of a larger university.