New principal takes over at Vista's Breeze Hill school
By: STACY BRANDT - Staff Writer | ∞
VISTA ---- Students at Breeze Hill Elementary School returned last week from winter break to a new year and a new principal.
Susan Fitzpatrick, whom the district hired six months ago as principal on special assignment, took over last week for retiring Breeze Hill Principal Cher Lecours.
Fitzpatrick has been an educator for 14 years and joined the Vista Unified School District after serving as an assistant principal in Riverside.
Education is a lifelong passion for her, she said.
"I can't remember a time when I didn't think I was going to be a teacher," she said. "As a child, I would play teacher and force my little brother to be my student."
In addition to being a natural-born educator, Fitzpatrick said she also strives to be a lifelong learner. She recently finished a doctorate program at the University of La Verne.
Fitzpatrick started teaching more than 20 years ago in Colorado before leaving education for a stint in business. Her love of teaching pulled her back into education 12 years ago as a teacher in Riverside.
She said she wanted to work in Vista Unified largely because of new Superintendent Joyce Bales and her unyielding mission to focus on reading.
When she was hired in July as principal on special assignment, she spent her first several months helping to implement the district's new reading intervention program, known as Lindamood-Bell.
"She's been a very important part of our district already," Bales said. "She is a rising star for us."
Bales said she thinks the transition between principals will be smooth, since they had a chance to work together before Lecours retired.
"I think she (Fitzpatrick) is going to have a head start because not only has she worked throughout the district, but she has spent the past month working with (Lecours)," Bales said.
Fitzpatrick said that although some of her techniques may be different from those of previous principals, the goal is always the same: student achievement.
Breeze Hill has received the California Distinguished School Award ---- the highest honor the state gives public schools --- twice, once in 2000 and again in 2004. It is one of only a handful of Vista Unified campuses that have won the award in the last decade.
With 750 students, the school has the largest enrollment of any elementary school in the district.
Still, Fitzpatrick said she hopes to maintain the family feel for which the school has become known. She said she hopes to do that by working closely and openly with parents, teachers and students.
So far, she said, her new students have embraced her with open arms.
"I can't go out there without hugs," she said. "They're always ready for someone new on their team."
Now that she has begun her new job, Fitzpatrick said she expects to stay a while.
"I feel like I've landed," she said. "I'm happy right where I am. It's a dream come true for me."
Contact staff writer Stacy Brandt at (760) 631-6622 or sbrandt@nctimes.com. Comment at nctimes.com.
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Ray wrote on Jan 15, 2007 7:59 AM:She comes form the same place Bales comes from.......hmmm I wonder?
Amanda wrote on Jan 15, 2007 9:09 AM: Wait a minute wasn’t Breeze Hill on the sanctioned list under the NCLB and then weaseled out somehow? I wonder how they are going to charm the State this time around?
Bales and Fitzpatrick wrote on Jan 15, 2007 5:52 PM:Yes, Fitzpatrick did originally start out in Colorado (20 years ago), but then headed off to Riverside CA. Bales started out in Texas, and then a few years back head to Colorado, where she took a sanctioned school and returned it to a thriving, honors school. As for the two of them coming from the same place: well Colorado is about the same size at New Zealand, with a population of about 4,665,177 (or about 1 million more than San Diego County). So, I seriously doubt there is any connection here, other than the highly successful Lindamood-Bell reading program. If VUSD is going to turn around its failing schools, they will need to change their leadership, management, and focus. It is time to put all children at VUSD on a level playing field, an that start with learning to read, write, and speak English! All the rest will fall in place when the communication gap is closed. Stop this racially motivated "Bi-lingual" concept, and stick to what works: English!
Amanda wrote on Jan 15, 2007 6:06 PM:Bales and Fitzpatrick-- Who is making these racist motivated "Bi-lingual" concepts here?
Bi-ligual wrote on Jan 15, 2007 10:59 PM:The concept of teaching kids in their native language due to its enabling the parents to help the children with their education unfortunately leaves the studetns illiterate in both languages. This has been proven many times over and is seen every day in our local Colleges and Universities. History has shown that when you teach kids in the local language, English, the parents tend to learn the local language faster. Also, the kids tend to pick up that local language within one to two years, thus reaching a point of equality with their peers within that timeframe. Only when bi-lingual education was pushed by the do-gooders, did we begin to see the significant increases in Hispanics failing and dropping our fo school. The concept has left many students, especially Hispanics uneducated. This is the racial part of this equation. Bi-lingual education was ment to help, but all it did was hurt those it was intended to help. Those who have fought against the bi-lingual education have been called racists. But, in reality the bi-lingual education itself has been the most hurtful issue for those of other races. I ask you, just how many languages should we be teaching at our local public schools? And since ALL of our Colleges and Universities teach in English, is it not racist to be preventing all those of other races from having an equal chance at higher education by their not achieving a full and complete understanding of the local language: English? The bi-lingual programs have prevented Hispanics from reaching equity with their white counter parts. That is clearly racist! So, teach English, and English ONLY! Then, you will see equity in education!
Hayley wrote on Jul 27, 2007 9:07 PM:She's my principal and she's really cool!
patricia wrote on Sep 8, 2007 8:55 PM:Fitzpatrick is not savvy enough to recognize and accept the accomplishments of the Breeze Hill teachers & students. For some reason she feels the need to micro control and already motivated and successful staff. Hopefully this will not lead to the downfall of this school.
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