Walking into the Olive Garden, hundreds of banners lining the ceiling, special education teacher and boys varsity basketball assistant coach Nicholas Diaz (‘10), reminisces on his past at the school. Diaz made his way “back home” to the nest this year after the opportunity became available last spring.
As he embarks on his new journey teaching at the school, Diaz’s days consist of co-teaching biology, chemistry, government and economy classes. Diaz communicates daily with students, teachers and parents. He also ensures that students are able to access their Independent Education Plan combinations, while talking with teachers to make sure they understand the students accommodations. An IEP is a legal document that entails the developmental plan for a student with special needs, created by parents, the student and “district personnel,” or in this case, Diaz.
Diaz also checks that students are on task, clarifies assignments and assists them with setting up their test accommodations. By monitoring students’ schedules, Diaz aims to make sure students “pass their classes, get good grades, [and are] on track for graduation [and] college eligible.” And if any issues do arise, Diaz works to find ways to help students, parents and teachers alike. For instance, if a student’s behavior becomes an issue, or they are having trouble with their learning, Diaz communicates with the student’s team — parents and teacher — and finds a way to resolve the situation and optimize the student’s performance in the classroom. Since his time starting here in August, Diaz hasn’t come across any issues.
Diaz also feels that being able to support the kids that go to the same school as he did is crucial in helping them navigate their challenges and high school experiences.
“[My goal is] I think just being able to support kids who are going to the same school that I went to, like knowing I sat in the same desk you guys were in, so I can understand what you’re going through,” Diaz said. “And I feel like that makes me more able to help them … navigate their challenges.”
After graduating from the school, Diaz attended the University of Oregon, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2014. He later received his master’s degree from National University. Previously working in real estate, Diaz realized that he was more drawn to a future in the classroom.
Diaz specifically recalls staff members like John Olive, Tim Staycer, Matthew Livingston and Elizabeth Marshall as being “a lot of very positive influences … I kind of saw the life that they were living and it appealed to me…”
His teaching journey kicked off in 2017 at an elementary school in Encinitas, where he worked for about two years. He later worked at Pacific Trails Middle School for two years as well. While at the elementary school and PTMS, Diaz was an instructional assistant while he was working on getting his credentials. In 2021, he started his first official teaching job at Canyon Crest Academy. In Diaz’s time as an educator, he has “only ever worked in special education.”
Aside from teaching, Diaz enjoys his time as the boys varsity basketball assistant coach. Diaz has been a part of the coaching staff since 2014. Since then, the team has won two CIF championships. Most notably, Diaz looks back on his time spent with Nick Herrmann (‘21) — an alumni who passed away from osteosarcoma in 2022 — hitting the buzzer beater to secure the CIF Open Division championship in 2021 against Cathedral Catholic High School.
As a student that graduated in the familiarity of Ed Burke stadium in 2010, Diaz feels that “people who get to go to school here should look at it as a privilege and not a right, and be thankful and really take that and make something of it.”
Diaz, being a student who holds a deep connection with the school, still stays in contact with friends from his high school days.
“Some of my best friends still to this day are from the kids that I went to school here with and I’m in my thirties, so I feel like there’s just a unique connection of bond that we have with our school, and it becomes a part of you and it sticks with you forever,” Diaz said.
Diaz also appreciated the welcoming environment and the connections he’s been able to make with students thus far.
“I feel like the connection that people have to the school, and the connection the school has with the whole community, is a big thing,” Diaz said. “I mean, you can be wearing a Torrey Pines t-shirt anywhere in the country and people will know what that means.”
Through teaching and coaching alike, one thing is for sure. Diaz is here to stay.
“I don’t want to leave,” Diaz said. “I don’t want to go to a different school. I want to be here until I retire, so hopefully that’s a very long time.”
