This winter, the current Associate Principal, James Lathrop, is leaving Campolindo to pursue a career change as the men’s water polo coach at Saint Mary’s College of California. This leaves a position as one of the associate principals vacant, but Campolindo teacher Natalie Goepel is ready to tackle this role starting this January.
Natalie Goepel is a teacher in the special education department and a case manager in learning skills at Campolindo. She lived in Lafayette throughout her life, graduating from Acalanes High School. Goepel has wanted to become a teacher since she was young. “I think for most of my life, I knew that I would do something in the future with helping people,” She said, recounting her time working at summer camps and babysitting growing up. “A lot of people recommended that teaching would be a good career fit for me. So I picked it pretty early in life,” she remembered. Starting January, Goepel will become the vice principal here at Campolindo.
Goepel expressed her excitement about her new role at Campo. “I’m looking forward to trying something new and expanding my skill set,” she said. “I’m also looking forward to getting to know some new students who I don’t normally interact with.”
“She was a great teacher for me and I’m really happy for her, but I’m also sad at the same time [because] I won’t get to have her as my learning skills teacher and case manager anymore,” commented Junior Maxwell Olson, a student that Goepel nominated for the Compassionate Cougar award earlier this school year. “But I’m glad that someone with great talent and expertise will be able to take over the job.”
Olson talked about his experience with Goepel. “She turned out to be a great teacher and someone that I really look up to. She treats everybody, no matter who they are, with respect and kindness. It shaped the way I thought of different kids outside of my friend group and things like that.” He also mentioned that Goepel has helped him figure out “college-related things.”
Upon further discussion about her new position, Goepel said some values she is looking forward to teaching students include resilience and perseverance. “We all have to be resilient, and so this is a really good time in a student’s life to learn that resilience before they head off into the world, because life can be really tough. It’s good to form that skill while you still have a bit of a safety net below you.”
When asked what qualities she thinks make a good vice principal, she gave a positive answer: “I think somebody who’s collaborative, supportive and who is willing to try new things [would make a good vice principal]. Also somebody who is a good listener, I think is especially helpful, because many people just want to feel heard, and that can be students, parents or teachers.”
Goepel looks forward to continuing working with her community and the school from this new perspective. “I love this community, and I find that teaching here after having been in this school district is really rewarding.” Goepel is enthusiastic and eager about the years to come in her new role: “It’s fun to meet new people and get to know the greater Campolindo community a bit more.”
