Meet the new administration

By Divya Verma

This year, PHHS administration is almost entirely filled with new faces. The new members are Principal Ginny Davis, Principal Secretary Melissa Hawkins, Assoc. Principal Honey Gubuan and Assoc. Principal Nancy Perierra.

Principal Davis used to be an APA (Assoc. Principal of Administration) at IHS (Independence high school) and an APED (Assoc. Principal of Educational Development) at Santa Teresa HS. After working in these positions, she was ready to move on. Ms. Davis used to be a teacher here, she was the head of the Social Science Department and brought AP European History to PHHS. Through her position, she has been able to reconnect with teachers and reach out to parents and students. She hopes that students feel respected, welcomed and that they get the best education possible.

Ms. Davis has a bachelor’s degree in history and Political Science and a masters in both Secondary Education and Urban Leadership. In high school her favorite subject was history. She was a part of the swim team and yearbook. Her first job was a counselor at a day camp when she was in high school.

“My role model is Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who is in the Supreme Court) because she is a working mother able to find a balance,” explained Ms. Davis

“I read a lot, I also really like to cook. I like to do stuff at home and I like to garden, I’m not very good at it though but I am a good cook,” continued Ms. Davis when asked what she likes to do in her free time. Her greatest strengths are being patient, organized and calm under pressure and being open to change.

Principal Secretary Hawkins used to work at IHS with Ms. Davis as a counseling technician. She was invited by Ms. Davis to be a principal secretary. She chose to become a principal secretary because she has always worked in an office setting and wanted to try a new position. Her message to students would be to ask for help if they are going through something and to not give up.

“The most enjoyable part of my job would be seeing students every day and keeping up with what is going on in their lives,” said Ms. Hawkins. Her most memorable experiences would be previous students coming back to tell her how she was able to help them in high school.

Ms. Hawkins did go to a college, but because she was always working two to three jobs, she did not finish. In high school her favorite subject was Marine Biology, she was a cheerleader, in the volleyball team and for her senior year, she was rally commissioner. Her first job was at Larry’s Country Inn Restaurant and at Raging Water in high school.

“My role model would be my mom because she has a good character and a good reputation,” said Ms. Hawkins.

Ms. Hawkin’s hobbies include taking care of herself, practicing mindfulness, eating healthier and taking care of her three Dioxins. Her greatest strengths are multitasking and her attitude.

Assoc. Principal Gubuan used to work as a preschool teacher aide. She chose this position because she felt that she had qualities to help make a school more successful and better for all students. Her message to the students would be that everything is a choice and to always make good choices.

The most enjoyable part of her job would be seeing students overcome challenges and as adults being able to give back to society.

Ms. Gubuan has a B.A (Bachelor of Arts) in Political Science and International Relations, a master’s in Education, Curriculum, Instruction and a M.A (Master of Arts) in Educational Leadership. In high school her favorite subject was English and she was a part of Yearbook, Filipino Cultural Dance, Key club and CSF (California Scholarship Federation).

“My role model would be my grandpa because even when he had close to nothing he was able to support his kids, nieces and nephews through a college education,” said Ms. Gubuan.

“My hobbies would be cooking, shopping, traveling, spending time with family and watching Netflix,” responded Ms. Gubuan. Her greatest strengths include seeing the positive, being organized and driven.

Assoc. Principal Pereira worked at a leadership role in her previous school. She felt that it was time to make the jump to administration because she likes to work with students and education. She feels fulfilled with her job and could not imagine herself in another field.  Her message to students would be to not be so hard on themselves, to take things day by day, have a balance between studying and having friends.

The most enjoyable part of her job would be the daily interactions and connections with students. Ms. Pereira’s most memorable experience would be seeing students achieve their personal goals for high school and coming back to visit campus.

Ms. Pereira has a bachelor’s in history and Spanish and a master’s in Education. In high school her favorite subjects were English and history. She played volleyball, basketball and was involved in ASB through homeroom representatives. Her first job was a babysitter when she was in middle school.

She does not have one role model, she admired people for different qualities they had.

“My hobbies, I like to walk my dog, scrapbook and read,” said Ms. Pereira. She describes her greatest strengths as being open minded, dedicated and straightforward. ◆