Fillmore Unified School District

Who would have thought it would take 30 years to find my dream job? Don’t get me wrong, before coming out to Fillmore I had many wonderful and rewarding experiences as a teacher, coach and assistant principal. Many of those personal relationships have been maintained over the years with some dating as far back as 1985.

So why do I love Fillmore so much? Plain and simple, Fillmore is a perfect fit. The principles of respect, loyalty, trust, service, kindness, community, humanity and integrity that I hold so close to my heart are also in the make-up of so many of its citizens. Much like the students, parents and community of Fillmore, I was raised to uphold my principles and to not compromise them for anyone. My conviction has been so deep that I have left several schools that I loved as a teacher, coach and administrator when my personal values were challenged. People in Fillmore also share the same unwavering commitment to their principles and that is why I love it here.

I have worked in many different cities and none were as fine and supportive as Fillmore. We could not have accomplished what we have done without the help of the community. From the service groups to the businesses to the individual community members, the support has been overwhelming and constant.

Great things have happened through supporting and empowering the Fillmore High School staff. When people are valued and supported they thrive and in the case of Fillmore High School staff they also stay. I do not micro-manage, I trust and value my staff. They are free to innovate and as part of the innovation, free to make mistakes that they will learn from. The revolving door of staff leaving to other districts has stopped. The teachers and staff are treated as adults and inevitably perform their best. They have become the best staff I have ever worked with.

Over the years, I have developed so many strong connections with the parents. What I absolutely like is that they have the same expectations for their kids that I had for my own children. Even in disciplinary situations, we shared the same expectations and agreed upon the consequences for their children. It was as if school and home were a seamless continuation of each other. In fact, because of this shared mindset I really felt and tried to act as a parent to my students. The students were, in effect, my children.

If you took my favorite students over the years and put them all into Fillmore High School, you would have what I have had here at Fillmore. Aside from sharing the same values, I felt a high level of mutual trust. Students have flourished just as adults would have under these circumstances. I have always sought out trusting situations but have also left or avoided anything fraught with mistrust. Students are no different and that is one reason why we have managed to retain most of our students over the years.

I believe we all create our own happiness and for me each passing year at Fillmore High School has been the best. I am so appreciative and thankful for my relationships with the students, parents, school staff and community.

I have been asked as to where I will be next year. When I tell people that I have not really looked for another job, it is met with disbelief. I compare it to being with someone you deeply care about and knowing that it will all end soon. Who would really want to start searching for someone else to be with at that time? That is where I am at now. At this moment, I can’t imagine working at any other school or any other place than Fillmore.

I know that when I do seek employment, the job I will settle on will allow me to be an innovative leader without being micromanaged. Kindness, respect, and honest communication would be a must from the top down. Most of all, trust will be at the center of everything and in how people do business with each other.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making my time at Fillmore the very best. God bless all of you.

Tom