Assistant Principal Tracy Olander began her position as the SDUHSD Director of Human Resources after her employment was approved at the SDUHSD Board Meeting on Aug. 8. Olander continued to work at the school during the first week before relocating to the SDUHSD office in Encinitas.
“While I was excited about my new opportunity to serve a larger population, I was sad to be leaving the daily interactions with the amazing staff, students and parents that make Torrey Pines the special place that it is,” Olander said. “There were definitely some tears when I said goodbye.”
Olander worked alongside her fellow Assistant Principals Robert Shockney and Rebecca Gallow, dividing duties based on student last names and tasks that required completion. According to Gallow, Olander mainly managed school facilities and ASB.
“I was proud of her, because I know that in her career path, she wants to work in the human resources department, so this is a step in the path that she wants for her career,” Shockney said. “At the same time, I was bummed because I like working with her, and I think she’s a great part of our team.”
Assistant Principal Rebecca Gallow also had conflicting feelings.
“I cried,” Gallow said. “I was very sad. She became a very dear friend. I still call her every day. So yeah, I miss her. But after … I got over my sadness [which was] because I was losing not only an amazing co-worker, but a friend next door to me … I was very happy for her, and honestly happy for our district, because she is an exceptional person and works extremely hard in the interest of all students. So I think we’re very lucky to have her in the position she’s in.”
According to Nina Alvi (11), Olander “was truly dedicated to helping her students.”
Olander attributed her previous experience with the New Teacher Induction Program and Human Resources in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District as what “sparked” her interest in human resources.
“Human resources is a department that supports every site and department within a school district,” Olander said. “While there is not a direct impact on the students the district serves, human resources helps to create a supportive culture for staff, students and parents across the entire district.”
Having moved up to a district position, Olander is acclimating to a new workplace.
“The hardest part to get accustomed to in my new position is how quiet the environment can be,” Olander said. “I do miss the hustle and bustle of a school site.”
With a new position also comes a new set of responsibilities.
“My main [responsibility] as the Director of Human Resources is to support the work of the Associate Superintendent of Human Resources,” Olander said. “A few of my responsibilities include employee relations, position/staffing control management/monitoring and supporting the new teacher Induction Program.”
Olander utilizes her experience as Assistant Principal to help in her new position.
“I plan on taking advantage of all learning experiences and always actively seek out professional growth opportunities,”Olander said. “Listening, asking questions, and jumping in to offer support is always where I begin when I take on a new position.”
Her peers are confident in her ability to take on her new role.
“She’s creative and [solution-oriented since] we deal with a lot of problems in our world,” Shockney said. “She really cares about the kids that she works with, and really wants to see all kids succeed. And she’s a great thought partner, just working with her, running things by her, and then doing the same back and forth.”
Shockney expressed a similar sentiment.
“Her calm presence makes a difference in a lot of places, different meetings and different people have different feelings at different times,” Shockney said. “Whether it’s a discipline scenario, it’s a support meeting for a student, it’s a safety meeting that she’s running, she’s got a very calm demeanor that comes across in a way, that you feel safe when you’re around her. And I think her greatest contribution is that she made everyone feel welcome, safe and comfortable to express their ideas.”
Gallow also praised Olander’s abilities.
“Olander was always very mindful, and would really look at hearing the whole situation and then asking for feedback,” Gallow said. “So she taught me a lot about having a lens of of making sure that we’re all communicating and taking the time to kind of really think things through fabulous, wonderful to work with.”
Overall, Olander will carry her time at the school to her new position.
“So I think that having all of that knowledge and then being able to go to the district office level and bring that expertise there, because they don’t know how it necessarily works, the day to day operations of a school like Torrey … she’s going to bring with her all of that knowledge and be able to support the whole district,” Gallow said.
