After nine years at the school, Assistant Principal Robert Shockney decided it was time for a change of scenery. Not that his office with its view of the ocean was much of an issue; he craved a new environment and fresh responsibilities as the new Coordinator of College and State Testing for the district.
Stemming from his passion for working with children, Shockney always knew he wanted to pursue a career in education.
“Kids are my favorite,” Shockney said. “I love helping students find their path in life, working out difficult challenges, being a guiding force for them.”
Starting at the age of 21, when he first began his teaching career, Shockney has worked in education to fulfill his passion. As assistant principal, Shockney’s main responsibility was scheduling classes.
“I’m what they call the master schedule guy,” Shockney said.
His role involved placing classes at certain periods in the day, determining teacher assignments and assessing the electives available to students.
“It’s like a six-month deal every year that I go through,” Shockney said. “It’s a process that I’ve been in charge of for a while.”
Beyond scheduling, Shockney was in charge of “safety, supervision, discipline and certain academic areas like social science, math and science.”
“I think the only one I haven’t done is being the admin over sports,” Shockney said.
While serving as an assistant principal and managing a multitude of responsibilities, Shockney found a support system in mentors like Principal Rob Coppo.
“Mr. Coppo has been a big mentor to me,” Shockney said. “He has been helping me grow a lot as an administrator. But I also see the people that I work with daily as a mentor community.”
Expressing his appreciation for this community, Shockney shared how these relationships have shaped his perspectives.
“I thoroughly believe that we are the sum total of all of our experiences,” Shockney said. “If you can withdraw from people the experiences that they have [that are] positive, then you can build yourself up to be a better person.”
Shockney not only helped students on campus, but fellow staff members as well.
“When I first started here he was my go-to person to help me understand all the amazing things about Torrey Pines, getting to know the students, the staff and how to support everyone,” Assistant Principal Rebecca Gallow said.
Shockney’s reliability extended to the students as well.
“Anytime I needed something Mr. Shockney was always there to help out,” Jakob Tu (11), ASB Junior Class Vice President said.
Shockney’s time at the school helped him handle situations with high school students, and his children alike.
“I have my own children, so having them grow up under the guidance of watching other kids grow up has been interesting and helped me be a better parent,” Shockney said.
This is not the only insight that Shockney acquired through his education career.
“You learn how to communicate effectively as a leader, and so that effective communication has been key to my professional life, but also extends into my personal life,” Shockney said.
After spending nine years at the school, Shockney knows the school inside and out — both the good and the challenges, as well as its reputation.
“Torrey Pines tends to get a bad breath in the community, it’s everyone against Torrey Pines every time,” Shockney said. “Because we win a lot, because we are good a lot … I wish more people knew how down to earth we actually really are.”
